During an interview on Monday with Fox News State Department Correspondent Benjamin Hall aired on Monday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Special Report,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he’s “open to” China or any nation, “engaging in responsible efforts to try to advance peace” in Ukraine and responded to nations like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, and India appearing to distance themselves from the U.S. by stating that “what we’re seeing with core partners in Europe and in Asia is much greater convergence than I’ve ever seen.”
Hall asked, “It’s very interesting to see President Xi talking to Zelensky recently, and there are Chinese diplomats going to Ukraine at the moment. Are you open to China becoming the peacemaker here?”
Blinken responded, “I think we’re open to any country engaging in responsible efforts to try to advance peace. And that begins with a couple of things: It begins, first of all, with a recognition…that what’s fundamentally at stake is the territorial integrity and sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. So, any peace agreement has to have that as its foundation. It’s also very important that anyone who’s engaging in efforts to advance peace be talking directly to the Ukrainians. They’re the aggrieved party.”
Later, after a discussion on the competition between the U.S. and China, Hall said, “Many countries, though, who would once have been firmly on the U.S. side are now in the middle. You look at Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa, perhaps, India, not really coming onto the side of the U.S. That is worrying. That says a lot about that they believe this is more equal than it used to be.”
Blinken answered, “First, as I said, what we’re seeing with core partners in Europe and in Asia is much greater convergence than I’ve ever seen.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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