BERLIN - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday urged China not to send weapons to help Russia’s war in Ukraine.

He has instead asked Beijing to exert pressure on Moscow to pull back its forces.

In a speech to the German Parliament, Mr Scholz said it was disappointing that Beijing had refrained from condemning the Russian invasion, though he welcomed its efforts towards nuclear de-escalation.

“My message to Beijing is clear: Use your influence in Moscow to urge the withdrawal of Russian troops,” he said. “And don’t deliver any weapons to the aggressor Russia.”

Mr Scholz’s remarks underscored how the international response to the war in Ukraine highlighted global divisions.

China and India have refrained from condemning the Russian invasion.

The US is sounding out close allies about the possibility of imposing new sanctions on China if Beijing provides military support to Russia for its war in Ukraine, sources told Reuters this week.

The consultations, which are still at a preliminary stage, are intended to drum up support from a range of countries, especially those in the wealthy Group of 7 Seven, to coordinate support for any possible restrictions.

For its part, China has issued a 12-point paper calling for a comprehensive ceasefire that was met with scepticism in the West.

While welcoming Beijing’s stance on nuclear de-escalation, Mr Scholz said: “One can rightly expect China to discuss its ideas with the main stakeholders – with the Ukrainians and with President (Volodymyr) Zelensky.”

The German chancellor also said Berlin and its allies were in talks with Kyiv over future security guarantees in preparation of a sustainable peace for Ukraine.

“We are speaking with Kyiv and other partners over future security guarantees for Ukraine,” Mr Scholz said.

“Such security guarantees, however, come with the presumption that Ukraine successfully defends itself in this war,” he said, adding that Germany would continue to support Kyiv with weapons supplies.

Mr Scholz’s speech came just over a year after Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine, precipitating the chancellor to announce a new era in German defence and foreign policy.

Germany has upped investments in its own military, unwound its economic ties with Russia and broken its taboos over sending weapons into conflict zones.

Mr Scholz also renewed calls for Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine.

He said Russian President Vladimir Putin was not ready for talks over a “just peace” and an end to the war.

“Nothing suggests” Mr Putin would come to the negotiating table at the moment, Mr Scholz said. REUTERS