Russia’s brazen invasion of Ukraine would have been severely crippled without the unwavering support of China. By offsetting the drastic reduction in exports from G7 countries to Russia, China has become the lifeline for Putin’s war machine. This fact lays bare the dangerous delusion at the heart of European talk about “strategic autonomy.” There is no middle ground. China’s role as Putin’s principal enabler makes it clear that Europe’s dream of an independent strategic path is a perilous fantasy.
China’s extensive economic support to Russia has been nothing short of a geopolitical lifeline, propping up an aggressor that would otherwise be economically strangled by Western sanctions. Through increased trade, financial transactions, and strategic economic partnerships, China has undermined the concerted efforts of the international community to isolate Russia. This is not a passive alignment but an active complicity in facilitating Russia’s war against Ukraine. Every yuan flowing from Beijing to Moscow fuels the Kremlin’s military ambitions, directly contributing to the suffering and destruction in Ukraine.
European leaders advocating for “strategic autonomy” are dangerously naive if they believe they can navigate an independent course without confronting the stark reality of China’s geopolitical ambitions. The concept of a self-reliant Europe, free from the influences of global powers, is fundamentally flawed in the face of China’s enabling role. By turning a blind eye to this complicity, Europe risks undermining its own security and the global order it seeks to uphold.
China’s support for Russia extends beyond mere economic transactions; it represents a deliberate geopolitical strategy to challenge and weaken Western influence. This strategic alliance between two authoritarian regimes threatens to reshape the global balance of power. While Europe debates the merits of autonomy, China and Russia are actively collaborating to undermine the liberal democratic values that underpin the Western alliance. This is not just about Ukraine; it is about a broader struggle for the future of the international order.
The notion that Europe can achieve “strategic autonomy” without addressing the elephant in the room—China’s support for Russian aggression—is a dangerous miscalculation. Europe’s security and values are intrinsically linked to the outcome of the conflict in Ukraine. Ignoring China’s role in perpetuating this conflict is tantamount to strategic blindness. The dream of autonomy becomes a perilous delusion when it fails to recognize the existential threats posed by authoritarian powers.
China’s actions have exposed the limits of Western sanctions and the fragility of the international community’s response to aggression. By sustaining Russia’s economy, China has blunted the impact of sanctions and emboldened Putin’s regime. This complicity demands a robust response, not a retreat into the fantasy of strategic autonomy. Europe must confront the reality that China’s rise as a global superpower comes with profound implications for global security and stability.
The harsh truth is that China, through its economic and political support, has become the principal enabler of Russia’s war in Ukraine. This stark reality demands a reevaluation of European policies and a recognition that the pursuit of “strategic autonomy” must be grounded in pragmatic and realistic assessments of global power dynamics. Ignoring China’s complicity in the Ukraine conflict only serves to weaken Europe’s position and embolden its adversaries. Europe’s path forward must be one of solidarity with its allies and a clear-eyed recognition of the challenges posed by authoritarian regimes like China and Russia.
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