The Impact of the War in Ukraine on the Relations Between Russia and China

Abstract

The history of relations between China and Russia goes back several centuries, and it must be said that these relations have never been single-sided friendly or a sole partnership. It is true that in the modern world, China and Russia are often consensual in their positions at the official level and seem to share common values, but the reality is much more complex.

The seizure of Ukrainian territories by Russia in 2014 and the war that started in February 2022 created a serious crack in the relationship between the West and Russia. Sanctions have forced Russia to start looking for alternative markets and partners, benefitting China, priorly perceived as a potential threat by Russia. Western pressure is increasingly forcing the Russian economy, and not only the economy, to lean towards the Eastern market. In this situation, Russia has to take Chinese demands and terms as much as possible into consideration, with the latter often being not only unprofitable for economic interests but sometimes even detrimental.

On the other hand, in the international arena, China either directly supports Russia or prefers to remain silent and neutral in favor of Russia.

This article describes the main vectors of Sino-Russian relations against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine.