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What Moscow and Beijing signalled on 19 April 2022
Summary
A look back at two diplomatic messages on nuclear weapons and Chinese backing for Russia during the invasion of Ukraine.
What did Russia and China tell the world about the war on 19 April 2022? Two signals stood out, one on nuclear weapons and one on strategic ties.
The first came after American allegations that Russia might use nuclear weapons. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the country would not do so and would keep using conventional weapons. The statement addressed the nuclear threats that had become part of the debate around the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which was then focused on the Battle of Donbas.
The second came from Beijing. Deputy Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said China had decided to strengthen its strategic ties with Russia, confirming support for President Vladimir Putin. He spoke while Russian armed forces faced accusations of war crimes over the killing of civilians.
Two messages, one backdrop
Taken together, the day's reports showed Moscow seeking to reassure on the most extreme form of escalation while Beijing publicly affirmed its alignment with Russia despite the accusations. Beyond these statements, the reports of that day do not establish how either position would be tested later.
