China’s peace proposal to end the war in Ukraine is “extremely unfair,” since the plan doesn’t respect the territorial integrity of the country, said the permanent secretary of Estonia’s Ministry of Defense.
Beijing issued a 12-point peace plan in February.
It is the duty of “the wider global community” to help Ukraine, said Kusti Salm. But China’s plan hasn’t been fair to Ukraine’s people, he said.
“Whenever we measure … the feasibility of any peace deal, it needs to be measured against the same principles. Are we outrooting the aggression as a tool?” he asked CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” on Friday.
“Are we honoring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of independent nations?”
Those are the “key ingredients and elements missing” from China’s peace proposal, he said. “That is something I would say [is] extremely unfair to Ukrainian people who have been fighting for their freedom.”
No breakthrough at Xi-Putin meeting
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s three-day visit to Russia concluded on Wednesday. During the trip, Xi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders shared warm words and called each other “dear friend.”
The meeting failed to make any meaningful breakthrough in resolving Ukraine’s conflict. Xi and Putin urged “stopping all moves that lead to tensions and the protraction of fighting to prevent the crisis from getting worse or even out of control,” according to the joint statement released by China’s Foreign Ministry.
The statement did not mention Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Kremlin’s widescale military assault, which has led to thousands of deaths and even more refugees.
Strong ally
Estonia, a Baltic republic, shares a border with Russia. It has been one of Ukraine’s strongest allies in the war.
Estonia has been “in the forefront of supporting Ukraine, since the very early days,” Salm said, adding it has given “the full spectrum” of military assistance, such as tanks, to Kyiv.
On Monday, Estonia’s Ministry of Defense said it reached a deal to send Ukraine 1 million 155-mm artillery rounds.
In a statement, Estonian Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur said that initiative will “provide Ukraine urgently needed military aid as fast as possible and increase the European defense industry’s manufacturing capabilities.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that if Europe hesitates in supporting Ukraine, “evil may have time to regroup and prepare itself for years of war.”
“It is in your power not to allow this to happen,” Zelenskyy said in a speech before members of the European Council on Thursday.
Russia ‘outgunning’ Ukraine
Russia has been “outgunning” Ukraine when it comes to artillery on the “ratio of one to 10,” said Salm. “That’s a scary factor,” mainly because of supply issues.
Moscow is using more artillery ammunition than the European industries can manufacture in a month, he said.
“This is the thing that needs to be remedied because it’s not only the question of helping Ukraine,” he said, adding that “it’s also the defense-readiness of the NATO forces.”
Russian aggression against Ukraine is an “existential topic for Estonia,” Salm said.
“What we need to make sure is not only for Ukraine to win the war, but the whole concept of aggression has … to be outrooted from war’s history,” he said.
Source: CNBC