As Biden And Xi Talk On The Phone, The US And China Discuss Russia

As the toll from Russia's invasion of Ukraine rises, the US says Beijing has a "duty to utilize leverage with Putin."

President Joe Biden of the United States and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, have began their first direct conversations since November, amid mounting US concerns over Beijing's connection with Russia and stance on the increasingly violent war in Ukraine.

The White House said Biden and Xi began conversing at 13:00 GMT on Friday, amid warnings from Washington that China may consider giving military assistance to Russia.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said earlier in a briefing that Biden would use the call to "make plain that China will bear responsibility for any steps it takes to encourage Russia's aggressiveness," and that such acts would have "costs."

"China, in particular, has a responsibility to utilize its clout with President Putin to protect the international standards and principles that it claims to uphold," he said.

While Western countries and allies have imposed harsh sanctions on Russia in response to the invasion and criticized its aggressiveness, China, which has close ties to both Kyiv and Moscow, has not.

It has walked a diplomatic tightrope, emphasizing Ukraine's sovereignty while avoiding any direct criticism of Russia and urging peace talks.

It also stated that Russia has valid security concerns that must be addressed, echoing Russian assertions that the US is secretly developing biological weapons in Ukraine. The United States and the United Nations have both dismissed the charges.