China's Ambassador Blames NATO Expansion for Ukraine Conflict
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – China's ambassador to Moscow, Zhang Hanhui, said in an interview released on Thursday that NATO expansion in Europe has eroded the continent's security and was the primary reason for the Ukraine conflict.
Speaking to the TASS, Zhang accused the US-led military bloc of "fanning the flames everywhere, destroying stability and engaging in separatism," citing turmoil in Kosovo, Libya, and Afghanistan as prime examples.
He emphasized that NATO's eastward expansions after the Cold War significantly impacted the post-Cold War order and security in Europe, becoming the main reason for the escalation in the Ukraine crisis.
Zhang described NATO as a "relic of the Cold War" that should have ceased to exist with its conclusion. However, he highlighted that NATO continues to thrive, sustaining itself by constantly instigating warfare and conflicts, leading to loss of lives and absence of peace.
The ambassador pointed out that in recent years, the alliance has targeted expansion in the Asia-Pacific under the guise of supporting countries exercising their right to collective defense, causing concern and objections from regional countries.
Zhang said that NATO has long become a geopolitical tool of the US, and its expansion into the east and Asia-Pacific is meant to support American hegemony. He stated that Washington desires NATO to have more influence in the Asia-Pacific to suppress and deter China and Russia.
He criticized the persistence of the Cold War mentality and confrontation between camps, stating that it contradicts the demands of modern times. Zhang warned that NATO's regional expansion will only increase tensions, widen the trust gap, provoke stand-offs between different camps, and may even lead to a new Cold War.
Moscow has viewed NATO's creeping expansion as a threat to its national security for many years, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has cited the possibility of Ukraine joining the bloc as a key reason for the military campaign in the neighboring country.
Several years ago, Kiev formally outlined its NATO ambitions and applied to join the bloc last autumn after four regions voted to join Russia in public referendums. However, the alliance has been hesitant to approve the application or set a timetable for Ukraine's accession, citing ongoing hostilities.