NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told the BBC that China should face consequences for supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine if it does not change its ways.
Stoltenberg said Beijing is “trying to win both ways” by supporting Russia’s war effort while also trying to maintain relations with European allies.
“This cannot work in the long run,” Stoltenberg told BBC News during a visit to Washington.
He also addressed nuclear weapons and defense costs.
At a peace summit held in Switzerland this weekend, participating countries pledged to support Kiev, while Russia called it a waste of time and said it would only agree to peace talks if Ukraine surrendered.
When asked what NATO members could do about China’s support for Russia, Stoltenberg said “discussions are ongoing” about possible sanctions.
He said China “shares a lot of technology like microelectronics, which is key for Russia to build missiles and other weapons it uses against Ukraine.”
He added that NATO should at some stage consider some kind of economic sanctions if China does not change its behavior.
Beijing is already under some sanctions for its support of Russia – last month the US announced restrictions that would target around 20 companies based in China and Hong Kong.
