Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
China and Russia both deny the reports.
Earlier this week, top diplomat in the European Union, Kaja Kallas, said that EU intelligence had verified reports that China has been helping Russia by training military personnel to fight in Ukraine.
The intelligence sets a tense backdrop for international leaders who are gathering in Brussels for the 35th Ramstein meeting.
Here NATO defense ministers met to discuss how global alliances are reshaping the battlefield.
During a packed press conference, reporters wasted no time. They directly confronted NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte about these explosive allegations. The alliance chief picked his words with immense care, refusing to reveal any classified secrets to the public.
Even though he declined to dive into the specific details of the intelligence reports, Rutte made one thing perfectly clear. Western intelligence networks are tracking Beijing’s actions around the clock.
“We are not naive. We monitor everything very precisely. I cannot tell you more at this point, or at least not in this open press conference, but you can be assured that we monitor every [part],” he told the room according to RBC-Ukraine.
A dangerous network
For Western leaders, the reports of China training Russian soldiers to fight in Ukraine is not an isolated incident. Instead, it points to a far broader and more dangerous trend.
Rutte warned that Moscow is relying on a tight circle of isolated nations to keep its military campaign alive.
“We know that Russia is not alone, that they receive vital support from North Korea, from China, from Iran,” Rutte explained.
He noted that this partnership relies on backroom deals rather than official treaties.
“The four countries work closely together, and there are mutual arrangements, perhaps not always legally written down on paper, regarding who does what for the other and what they receive in return.”
China and Russia slams reports
Both the Chinese and Russian governments involved moved quickly to deny the reports.
Chinese officials dismissed the allegations entirely, calling them a cheap political move to shift responsibility for the war.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that the public should treat the training reports with heavy skepticism.
