Image Credentials: Image Title: China Rejects EU Allegation of Military Training for Russian Troops. Source: (chatgpt.com) Date: June 2026. Attribution: This image was created using AI-generated imagery (chatgpt.com) by Open Chronicle and does not depict a real-world scene.
By Open Chronicle with agencies
China has firmly rejected allegations by the European Union that Chinese military personnel have provided training to Russian troops involved in the war in Ukraine, dismissing the claims as “groundless slander” and accusing Brussels of spreading misinformation.
The dispute emerged after a meeting of the European Union’s 27 foreign ministers in Luxembourg, where EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said that the bloc had verified reports suggesting that Chinese military staff had been involved in the training of Russian forces. According to Kallas, the European Union is carefully evaluating the implications of the information as part of its broader assessment of foreign support for Russia’s military operations.
Beijing responded swiftly. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian rejected the accusation, insisting that there was “no factual basis” for the claim. Speaking at a regular press briefing, he described the allegation as “slander and defamation” directed against China and reiterated that Beijing has consistently promoted dialogue and a political settlement to the conflict in Ukraine.
China has repeatedly maintained that it is not a party to the war and has denied supplying lethal weapons to either side. While it has expanded political and economic cooperation with Moscow since the start of the conflict, Chinese officials argue that their relationship with Russia is based on normal state-to-state ties and should not be interpreted as direct military involvement.
The latest exchange comes as tensions between Brussels and Beijing continue to grow over the war in Ukraine and broader strategic concerns. During the Luxembourg meeting, Kallas also announced that EU foreign ministers had agreed to impose sanctions on several Chinese entities, though detailed information about the targeted companies and individuals has not yet been released.
The European Union has increasingly accused Chinese firms of helping Russia circumvent Western sanctions by supplying dual-use technologies and industrial components that could support Moscow’s defence sector. Beijing has consistently denied facilitating sanctions evasion and has criticised unilateral restrictions imposed by the West.
The allegations and the planned sanctions are likely to add further strain to already complex EU-China relations, which have been marked by disagreements over trade, security, and the geopolitical consequences of the conflict in Ukraine. While both sides continue to stress the importance of dialogue, the latest dispute highlights the widening gap between European concerns about China’s relationship with Russia and Beijing’s insistence that it remains a neutral actor.
As the war in Ukraine enters another critical phase, the issue of external support for the warring parties is expected to remain a major point of contention between global powers, with the European Union increasingly scrutinising the role of countries it believes may be indirectly aiding Moscow’s military capabilities.