PM Boris Johnson calls out China to rise against Russia over invasion of Ukraine

The British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, on Sunday called out China to align with the West to rise against Russia over the invasion of Ukraine.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson noted that at the current conflict situation in Ukraine, no leader in the world can continue to condone the Russian President over the invasion of Ukraine. He stated that while China has been silent on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, sufficient evidence is emerging to condemn Russia.

According to Johnson: “As time goes on, and as the number of Russian atrocities mounts up, I think it becomes steadily more difficult and politically embarrassing for people either actively or passively to condone Putin’s invasion.

“There are now “considerable dilemmas” for countries who were yet to speak out against Russian President Vladimir Putin: “I think that in Beijing you are starting to see some second thoughts.”

The British Prime Minister in a speech at the Conservative Party conference, which had the Ukrainian ambassador to London, Vadym Prystaiko, in attendance, said that the conflict in Ukraine is a “turning point for the world”.

He asserted: “There are some around the world… who say that we’re better off making accommodations with tyranny… I believe they are profoundly wrong.

“To try to renormalise relations with Putin after this, as we did in 2014, would be to make exactly the same mistake again, and that is why Putin must fail.”

Johnson declared “This is a turning point for the world and it’s a moment of choice. It’s a choice between freedom and oppression.”

Ukraine and the United States (US) have remained perturbed by the silence of China, and the potential sending of military aid to Russia or assisting Russia to assuage the sanctions imposed by the West against Russia.

President Joe Biden of the US had threatened the Chinese President Xi Jinping over the “consequences” of supporting Russia. China has, however, continued to hold back from condemning Russia over the special military operations in Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine had on Saturday requested  China to condemn “Russian barbarism”, noting that dozens of people were killed in new air strikes.