Ukraine summons Chinese ambassador, urges Beijing to stop helping Russia
Ukraine's foreign ministry says it has summoned the ambassador from China and asked the country to stop supporting Russia in its aggression against Ukraine.
The report says China's Ambassador to Ukraine, Ma Shengkun, visited the ministry on Tuesday and met with Deputy Foreign Minister Yevhen Perebyinis.
The ministry said Perebyinis expressed deep concerns about the alleged involvement of Chinese citizens in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the alleged participation by Chinese firms in the production of military materials in Russia.
The deputy minister is said to have emphasized that such reports contradict the spirit of partnership between Ukraine and China, and urged China to halt any support for the Russian invasion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a news conference on Tuesday that he has information that Chinese citizens are working in Russia at a drone manufacturing plant.
He referred to the possibility that Russia has stolen drone technologies from these Chinse citizens without the consent of the Chinese government.
Zelenskyy said last week that his country had information that China is supplying weapons to Russia. Early in April, he also announced that the Ukrainian side captured two Chinese men fighting for Russia in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine.
The Ukrainian foreign ministry said it had presented the evidence to the Chinese ambassador at the meeting.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun dismissed the Ukrainian claims on Wednesday, reiterating Beijing's firm opposition to what he called groundless accusations and political manipulation.
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