JAKARTA - Unilateral sanctions against Russia will only increase the rift and stalemate around Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin said Tuesday, commenting on the G7 countries' statements regarding their readiness to impose sanctions on Russia.
"In the current situation, unilateral sanctions can only increase division and stalemate. China calls on all parties to adhere to a rational approach, to resolve the crisis around Ukraine and related issues through dialogue and negotiation," he criticized, citing TASS Feb. 15.
"In the current situation, dramatization and speculation about war is not responsible behavior. Sanctions and pressure are not helping to defuse the situation, and the promotion of the bloc's stalemate is leading us down the old Cold War road which is even stronger," the diplomat added.
"We urge all parties to adhere to a fair and open position, to assist in dialogue and negotiations, as well as the proper implementation of the Minsk Agreement for a speedy resolution of the Ukraine crisis," he concluded.
Earlier, the G7 finance ministers reiterated their readiness to impose sanctions on Moscow on Monday, which would have "wide-scale and immediate consequences" for the Russian economy if it invaded Ukraine. According to the statement, "any further Russian military aggression against Ukraine will be met with a prompt and coordinated response."
To note, Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, sparking fears of an invasion, especially since Moscow's February 10-20 joint drills with Belarus meant Ukraine was almost surrounded by the Russian military.
Despite denying plans to attack Ukraine, Moscow has demanded legally binding guarantees from the United States and NATO that Kyiv will not be allowed to join the military bloc. Washington and Brussels have so far refused to make any such promises.
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