China has issued a sharp warning to the European Union, signaling that Beijing does not want to see a Russian defeat in the war in Ukraine. The warning was delivered during a tense four-hour meeting on Wednesday between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and newly appointed EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), which cited sources familiar with the meeting, Wang told Kallas that China could not afford to allow Russia to lose the war, arguing such an outcome would free the United States to shift its strategic focus entirely to confronting China. The remarks reportedly stunned EU officials in attendance, who had expected the Chinese side to adhere to its longstanding public stance of neutrality.
The tone of the meeting was described as unusually blunt and far from cordial, with European officials surprised at the level of directness rarely seen in Chinese diplomacy.
Kallas and her delegation raised concerns about Beijing’s alleged military and financial support for Russia—allegations that have been made repeatedly by the U.S., Ukraine, and EU officials. Wang dismissed the claims and pushed back sharply, saying that while China maintains strong economic ties with Russia, “if Beijing were truly supporting Moscow in the way we are accused of, the conflict would have been over long ago.”
The meeting comes amid a significant shift in global perceptions of the Ukraine conflict, particularly as the U.S. scales back military aid to Kyiv. Supplies of key systems such as Patriot air defense missiles and 155mm artillery shells have been suspended due to critically low stockpiles.
U.S. President Donald Trump has held separate phone calls with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the past 24 hours, in what appears to be an attempt to jumpstart a peace process. However, the U.S. appears to be losing both strategic and material influence in Ukraine as its ability to sustain weapons shipments falters.
Wang’s warning about the potential U.S. pivot to Asia aligns with earlier comments by Trump administration officials. In January, the U.S. Department of Defense released an internal memo outlining a strategic realignment toward the Pacific, with a stated focus on confronting China as the top long-term priority.
China’s message to the EU is likely to reinforce existing tensions in transatlantic relations, as Europe becomes increasingly uncertain of Washington’s commitment to Ukraine and anxious over Beijing’s role in shaping the outcome of the conflict.