Address Russia’s ‘legitimate concerns’, China tells U.S.

Antony Blinken, in a phone call with Wang Yi, warns of ‘global risks posed by Russian aggression’

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday told his U.S. counterpart Antony Blinken that Russia’s “legitimate concerns” needed to be addressed amid rising tensions over Ukraine.

The U.S. Secretary of State, in the phone call, “underscored the global security and economic risks posed by further Russian aggression against Ukraine and conveyed that de-escalation and diplomacy are the responsible way forward”, the U.S. State Department quoted him as saying.

The phone call on Thursday came as Mr. Blinken said the U.S. had given Moscow a document “setting out a serious diplomatic path forward” and highlighting U.S. concerns about Russian actions, including a build-up of troops.