China blames US for Ukraine crisis, Opposes Russia sanctions

China says it opposes “illegal” sanctions on Russia and has blamed the United States and its allies for worsening the crisis.for escalating tensions over Ukraine, while reiterating calls on Thursday for a peaceful resolution to the crisis. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying  said the “historical context is complicated” and that the current situation is “caused by all kinds of factors”. “The United States has been sending weapons to Ukraine, heightening tensions, creating panic and even hyping up the possibility of warfare,” she said in a briefing. 

Zhang Jun, Chinese ambassador to the UN, called on all parties involved in the crisis to remain restrained and avoid escalating the situation any further. “China believes that the door to a peaceful solution to the Ukraine issue has not been completely closed and should not be closed. At present, to avoid intensifying conflicts, China will continue to promote peace and talks in its own way,” Zhang was quoted by state-controlled media as saying. China has already strongly criticised the sanctions imposed by western countries on Russia with Hua calling them “illegal unilateral sanctions”.