US Calls on China to End Ukraine War 'Tomorrow' Amid Record Russian Oil Imports

China's Role in the Ukraine War

According to Главком: At the Munich Security Conference, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Witaker asserted that China holds significant leverage to influence the conclusion of Russia's war against Ukraine. Witaker stated that

“China could pick up the phone to Vladimir Putin and end this war tomorrow, and also cease selling him dual-use technologies.”

This week in Munich, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also met with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha. During this meeting, China offered Ukraine humanitarian aid in response to Russian strikes on its energy infrastructure.

Diplomatic Talks and Economic Ties

Separately, talks are scheduled for February 17th in Geneva, involving a US delegation. The delegation will be led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The negotiations will also include a meeting with Iranian officials, with diplomats from Oman acting as intermediaries for these contacts.

On the economic front, Chinese ports received a daily average of 1.65 million barrels of oil in January, marking the highest level since March 2024. This volume also represents the second-largest monthly import figure since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. These figures highlight a significant uptick in oil imports from Russia, a development with potential implications for global sanctions enforcement and energy markets. The ongoing conflict has placed China in a complex position, balancing its stated neutrality with its deep economic and strategic ties to Moscow.

Ambassador Witaker's comments underscore the US view of China as a potential key mediator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Concurrently, the meeting between the Chinese and Ukrainian foreign ministers indicates attempts to maintain dialogue and provide humanitarian support. The surging volume of Russian oil imports into China suggests that economic relations between the two nations remain robust, a factor that continues to influence global political and economic calculations.