The Ukraine war could lead to a break in economic ties

Beijing, Brussels Europe’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell repeatedly draws attention to himself with ideas that one might sympathetically call unconventional, but which his critics see as bordering on naive. It has been almost three weeks since Borrell mused aloud about Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and assigned China the role of peacemaker.

The same China that has just pledged “friendship without borders” to Russia in a cooperation agreement and has steadfastly refused to condemn the invasion.

On Tuesday evening Borrell sat on a podium in Brussels and spread the world situation. Europe must establish an “order against Russia”, he demanded, thus confirming the new toughness of the EU.

On the subject of China, however, Borrell reverted to his old softness. “In the geopolitical environment we are in, it is not in our interest to put pressure on China,” he said. This would lead to block formation.