“The EU–China Summit is an important step in maintaining dialogue; however, the true challenge lies in the EU’s ability to mobilize joint efforts and take decisive action in response to the systemic threats stemming from China’s policies and strategic behaviour.”

Nataliya Butyrska, Associated Senior Fellow at the New Europe Center, provides an analysis of the recent EU–China summit.

The author emphasizes that Beijing’s support for the Kremlin in the Russia–Ukraine war remains one of the key challenges for the European Union. Despite the EU’s diplomatic outreach, China continues to support Russia while maintaining a rhetorical stance of neutrality. “The EU remains a significant lever of influence over China’s alignment with Russia during the war. Beijing seeks to preserve the ‘façade of neutrality’ in order to safeguard its trade relations with the European Union” , Butyrska explains.

Read more about the summit’s outcomes on Mirror of the Week (Ukrainian).