China on Tuesday denounced European Union claims that Beijing had trained Russian troops sent to Ukraine as “pure slander”, as the bloc’s top diplomat became the latest to raise the issue.
China has presented itself as a neutral party since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, although Kiev’s allies have long accused Beijing of secretly aiding its close partner Moscow.
EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday that the bloc had “verified reports that the Chinese military has trained Russian military personnel to fight in Ukraine,” calling Beijing a “crucial enabler” of the war.
Asked about the comments at a regular news briefing, a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry said: “The relevant claims have no factual basis. It is pure slander and slander.”
Several media outlets reported last month that European intelligence agencies believed China had conducted the training.
A senior EU official confirmed the reports on Friday, saying the training was taking place at several locations in China and that “hundreds” of troops were involved.
Kallas said on Monday that the EU had sanctioned some Chinese entities in response.
The allegations reinforce suspicions that Beijing has provided Moscow with more material support than is publicly disclosed.
Ties between China and Russia have strengthened since the start of the war, with Beijing providing an economic lifeline to diplomatically isolated Moscow.
