International press review
Headline: Joe Biden warns Chinese President Xi against military support for Russia
Audio 05:06
US President Joe Biden is due to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on March 18, 2022 as part of discussions around Russia's war in Ukraine.
© AP/Susan Walsh
By: Véronique Rigolet Follow
4 mins
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Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will talk to each other “
for the first time since the start of the invasion of Ukraine
”, and as “
mistrust between the United States and China increases
”, we were told this morning
The Wall Street Journal
, "
China still refusing to condemn its Russian ally's brutal offensive
".
So especially that "
rumors now suggest that China could support Russia militarily
", specifies for his part
the Swiss daily
Le Temps
.
Joe Biden's message to President Xi should be very clear, emphasizes
The New York Times
: "
The United States will punish Beijing if China provides military equipment to Russia.
“A severe threat of sanctions “
which could weigh
”, estimates
The Wall Street Journal
, while “
without renouncing its alignment with Moscow, China nevertheless seems anxious to prevent a worsening of the Ukrainian crisis
”.
"
Military support is not in Beijing's interest
", also explains
Le Temps
, which highlights the analysis of several specialists for whom "
China seeks stability more than ever
", while Xi Jinping will seek to obtain "
a third term
" next fall, also when "
the pandemic is already affecting the economy
" of the country.
China “
therefore has nothing to gain by involving itself militarily in the war in Ukraine
”.
Biden raises his voice again against Putin, the “war criminal”
Joe Biden persists and signs, after qualifying the Russian president on Wednesday as "
a war criminal
", he called him Thursday, March 17, "
a murderous dictator
", a "
pure thug
" who "
will pay a high price for his aggression
".
Accusations against Russia "
for 'war crimes' also taken up by six European countries
", points out
The
Guardian
, including France and the United Kingdom, London which considers "
that there is now very solid evidence of crimes of war committed by Russian forces
“against civilian populations”
and Vladimir Putin is behind them
“, assures the head of British diplomacy Liz Truss.
"
By hardening his rhetoric against Putin
", Joe Biden not only expresses "
a visceral reaction to the horrific images of destruction in Ukraine, these images of civilians including massacred children
", explains the
New York Times
, but the condemnation of the American president is also “
political ,” the
Post
says
, calling “
Putin a war criminal, he makes him a pariah, and it serves his efforts to totally isolate the Russian president
.”
Putin engages in 'traitor hunt', promising to 'purify' Russia
Accused by the West of being “
a war criminal
”, and while his invasion of Ukraine is seriously slowed down, “
Putin turns against his people and promises to 'purify' Russia of traitors
”, headlines the
Daily Telegraph
which reports that "
General Gavrilov, one of the most senior military commanders, was thus arrested yesterday as part of an apparent purge in the general staff and the intelligence services
".
This is the sign
of "real discord
" in the Kremlin on the conduct of the war, comments the British daily.
"
Putin is turning against pro-Western Russians called 'garbage' and 'traitors'
", also notes the
Washington Post
, which believes that his call "
for a self-purification of society
" "
raises the haunting specter of Stalin's campaign of terror which led to the execution of hundreds of thousands of people
”.
Boris Johnson would like to be invited to the European Union summit next Thursday
The British Prime Minister, somewhat isolated since Brexit, has made it known "
that he is ready to take part in the European Council on March 24," the
Guardian
tells us,
while "
the 27 will meet with the American president to discuss the war in Ukraine
”.
Such an invitation "
would constitute a major symbolic step in the post-Brexit period"
, argues a source in Downing Street, reports the British daily while stressing "
Boris Johnson will also be in Brussels the same day to take part in the summit of the NATO
”.
But not sure that after having slammed the door of Europe, Boris Johnson will obtain his invitation card.
"
The decision rests with Charles Michel, the President of the European Council
", says the
Guardian
, which underlines that "
from European sources such an invitation from the British Prime Minister is absolutely not on the agenda
".
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Ukraine
United States
Joe Biden
China
Xi Jinping
Vladimir Poutine
Russia
UK
Boris Johnson
NATO
European Union
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