US urges China To Oppose Russia's War Against Ukraine

John Kirby. (Wikimedia Commons/US Secretary of Defense)

JAKARTA - The United States urges China not to support Russia's war against Ukraine, saying the world must unite against Moscow's aggression.

"We don't think anyone should be on the sidelines", National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told CNN.

"The whole world must stand against what (Russian President Vladimir Putin) is doing. This is not the time for any business as usual with Mr. Putin", he said.

Earlier, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

It was the first in-person meeting of leaders since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

President Putin thanked President Xi for his "balanced" approach to the Ukraine crisis, and condemned Washington's "ugly" policies, in a meeting held after Moscow's troop retreat on the battlefield.

He said he was ready to discuss China's unspecified "concern" over Ukraine, saying he understood Xi's concerns after Russian troops suffered heavy losses in recent weeks.

President Xi did not mention Ukraine in his public remarks, nor did he mention the war in the Chinese government's report on the leaders' meeting.

Nevertheless, Kirby said it remains to be seen how much China will support Russia's war, noting that Beijing is not moving to materially support President Putin or violate sanctions against Moscow.