Poland slams 'dangerous' Russia-China 'axis'

WARSAW — Poland's prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Wednesday (March 22) branded the China-Russian alliance "dangerous" after Chinese leader Xi Jinping wrapped up a three-day visit to Moscow.

"The Chinese president's visit to Moscow makes us anxious, this China-Moscow axis is dangerous," Mr Morawiecki told reporters after hosting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Warsaw.

Mr Xi left Russia on Wednesday following a summit with President Vladimir Putin that hailed a "new era" in their relations, putting on a display of unity against the West.

Mr Putin and Mr Xi discussed the war in Ukraine, but their talks ended with no apparent signal of a breakthrough on how to end the fighting. 

Mr Putin praised Beijing's 12-point position paper on the conflict, which includes a call for dialogue and respect for all countries' territorial sovereignty.

But Poland, one of Ukraine's closest allies, raised alarm about the increased cooperation between Beijing and Moscow.

"We are trying to convince China not to support Russia in its aggressive international policy," Mr Morawiecki told reporters.

Mr Kishida arrived in Poland from neighbouring Ukraine, where he visited Kyiv and Bucha, a nearby town where Russian forces were accused of committing atrocities last year.

Mr Kishida praised Poland for aiding the war-torn country and said he conveyed "the unwavering solidarity of Japan and the G7" to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

He cited Poland's "increasing burden" in helping Kyiv as the reason for new Japanese assistance to Warsaw, without specifying the aid.

"I told the prime minister that... we regard the nation as qualifying for official development assistance, and we intend to actively set up aid projects," Mr Kishida said. AFP