Ukraine Gate – Kyiv – July 6, 2022- US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is set to appeal to the G20 to pressure the Russian government to support a UN initiative on opening sea lanes for Ukraine and to warn China once again against supporting Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine.
Ramin Tolui, Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Trade Affairs, said, referring to the initiative to try to persuade the Ukrainians, Russian food and fertilizers on world markets.
“Whether it happens at the level of the G-20, or at the level of the G-20 countries, this is an important point that Secretary Blinken will make,” he said.
The top US diplomat for East Asia, Daniel Krettenbrink, also said he expects a “frank” exchange on Ukraine when Blinken meets Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the G-20.
“This will be another opportunity…to express our expectations about what we expect China to do and what not to do in the context of Ukraine,” he said.
But shortly before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, China and Russia announced a “borderless” partnership, but US officials said they had not seen China evade US-led sanctions on Moscow or supply Russia with military equipment.
