NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg cautioned on Monday that the alliance must hold China accountable for its support to Russia, emphasizing that continuous weapon supplies to Ukraine are crucial to ending the conflict.

It is worth noting that Stoltenberg made these remarks during a visit to Washington to prepare for NATO's upcoming 75th anniversary summit next month.

The upcoming July summit reportedly intends to strongly signal enduring support for Ukraine, especially as US President Joe Biden confronts challenges in his reelection campaign against US former President Donald Trump, who is skeptical of Western aid to Keiv.

Prior to meeting with Biden, Stoltenberg criticized China for exacerbating the conflict by allegedly facilitating a significant export effort aimed at revitalizing Russia's defense sector, according to US officials.

President Xi Jinping "has tried to create the impression that he is taking a back seat in this conflict, to avoid sanctions and keep trade flowing," Stoltenberg said at the Wilson Center.

"But the reality is that China is fueling the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II, and at the same time, it wants to maintain good relations with the West," he claimed.

"Beijing cannot have it both ways. At some point -- and unless China changes course -- allies need to impose a cost. There should be consequences," he further stressed.

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China stated it is not providing lethal aid to either side, in contrast to the United States and other Western countries.

It is worth noting that Beijing did not participate in a recent summit in Switzerland organized by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which reiterated Kiev's insistence on Russian withdrawal from any peace agreement.

On its part, Russia has expressed willingness to negotiate but insists on Ukrainian forces pulling back from territories it has taken control of.

Trump has suggested he could swiftly end the conflict, likely by pressuring Ukraine to accept terms.

To safeguard against future influence from Trump, Stoltenberg aims for the Washington summit to position NATO as the lead in coordinating efforts on Ukraine and to establish mechanisms for sustained military support.

"The more credible our long-term support, the quicker Moscow will realize it cannot wait us out," he said.

"It may seem like a paradox, but the path to peace is more weapons for Ukraine."

In April, the US Congress approved approximately $60 billion in new military funding for Ukraine, but this decision came after months of delays caused by political disputes and opposition from some of Trump's Republican allies.

Kremlin condemns NATO chief's nuclear remarks as heightening tensions

Kremlin criticized NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg's statement about the alliance discussing the deployment of additional nuclear weapons, labeling it as an "escalation of tension."

Stoltenberg informed Britain's Telegraph newspaper that NATO members are in discussions about deploying more nuclear weapons, moving them out of storage, and keeping them on standby due to increasing threats from Russia and China.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Stoltenberg's remarks seemed to contradict a communique from a recent conference in Switzerland, which declared any threat or use of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine conflict as unacceptable. The talks, initiated by Zelensky and labeled a "peace summit", did not include an invitation to Moscow.

"This is nothing but another escalation of tension," Peskov said of the NATO Secretary-General's remarks.

Stoltenberg later claimed that Russia was attempting to create confusion and that his remarks pertained to the modernization of NATO's nuclear deterrent. This includes replacing F-16 jets with F-35s and updating weapons stationed in Europe, a process he claimed has been underway for some time.

"Russia is trying a way to always also create a situation where they can blame NATO, and the reality is that NATO is transparent," Stoltenberg told journalists on a visit to Washington.

Earlier, NATO had tried to downplay Stoltenberg's remarks, stating that there were no major changes to its nuclear posture.
 
"NATO is committed to ensuring a safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent," NATO spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah claimed.

"For that purpose, we have an ongoing modernisation programme to replace legacy weapons and aircraft," she added. "Beyond that, there are no significant changes to our nuclear deterrent."

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