(MENAFN) In a strongly-worded statement, Chinese envoy Zhang Jun has called on NATO to halt its "saber-rattling" and instead focus on fostering global peace. Speaking at a United Nations Security Council meeting dedicated to the second anniversary of the Ukraine conflict, Zhang emphasized that the ongoing struggle between Moscow and Kiev, which escalated into open military conflict on February 24, 2022, is a "tragedy that could have been avoided."
Zhang pointedly linked the current situation in Europe to what he described as the "repeated eastward expansion of NATO since the end of the Cold War." Russia has consistently cited preventing Ukraine from joining NATO as a primary objective of its military operations, expressing concerns about the security implications of Kiev's potential membership in the United States-led military alliance.
Emphasizing the importance of respecting the legitimate security concerns of all United Nations member countries, Zhang argued that regional security cannot be guaranteed by strengthening or expanding military blocs. He urged NATO to engage in self-reflection, break free from Cold War mentalities, and cease acting as an "agent of trouble instigating bloc confrontation."
Zhang also directed a message to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, urging him to adopt an objective perspective on world affairs, stop saber-rattling, and focus on actions genuinely conducive to world peace.
The Chinese envoy highlighted the need for parties involved in the Ukraine conflict to create favorable conditions for the resumption of negotiations, discouraging the imposition of man-made obstacles that make peace harder to achieve. He criticized the supply of weapons, the escalation of tensions, and profiting from the prolonged crisis, urging a concerted effort to address the root causes of the conflict and work towards a peaceful resolution.
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