Ukraine war: China limits drone exports as Russia compares Moscow strike to 9/11
China is to limit the export of long-range drones over fears they are being converted for military use in Ukraine.
Beijing says it will limit the export of some high-performance civilian devices due to the “increasing risk” that they are being used for “non-peaceful purposes”.
Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of targetting civilian buildings with drone strikes in recent days, including one on Moscow’s financial district, which a Kremlin spokesperson likened to 9/11.
Xi Jinping’s government has officially adopted a position of neutrality over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – despite its friendly ties with Moscow.
Chinese firm DJI Technology Co – one of the global industry’s top competitors – has also pulled out of Ukraine and Russia to prevent its drones from being used in combat.
But Beijing has been stung in recent months by reports that both sides might be using Chinese-made drones for reconnaissance and possibly attacks in Ukraine.
Ukraine war latest: Drone sent ‘out of control’ in Moscow attack
A report by the New York Times in March, citing official Russian customs data, claimed that China had sold more than $12m (£9.3m) worth of drones and drone parts to Russia since the start of the war.
Officials in Washington have also previously raised fears that US components may be being used in Chinese-made drones sold to Russia – something which, if proven, would be a breach of American export laws.
‘Risk of military use constantly increasing’
China announced its new drone export limits on Tuesday in a statement from the country’s Ministry of Commerce, which also announced plans to restrict exports of some lasers, communication equipment and anti-drone systems.
“The risk of some high specification and high-performance civilian unmanned aerial vehicles being converted to military use is constantly increasing,” it said in a statement.
The ministry said the restrictions would apply to drones that can fly beyond the natural sight distance of operators or stay aloft for more than 30 minutes, as well as drones that can have attachments that can throw objects.
Moscow drone attack is clear attempt by Ukraine to build fear and anger in Russia
What’s fascinating about this [the drone attacks] is Zelenskyy clearly wants to take the fight to Moscow.
One of the ways of winning the war is on the battlefield, but the other way of doing it is to remove Putin’s will to continue to fight like this.
The West won’t provide the weapons to take this war into Russia for obvious fears of escalation, but President Zelenskyy is clearly doing everything he can to raise the profile of the fact wealthy Muscovites are in a battle.
You imagine this was in central London – it might not cause significant damage, but it would cause a bit of panic.
Beijing has previously accused the US and Western media of spreading “false information” about Chinese drone exports, while DJI says it has “never designed and manufactured products and equipment for military use”.
It comes after a US intelligence report claimed Beijing possibly provided equipment used in Ukraine that might have military applications.
The report cited Russian customs data that showed Chinese state-owned military contractors supplied drones, navigation equipment, fighter jet parts and other goods.
President Joe Biden’s administration has previously warned Beijing of unspecified consequences if it supports the Kremlin’s war effort.
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Were drone attacks on Moscow effective?
Russia likens drone attack to 9/11
China’s announcement came as both Moscow and Kyiv accused each other of using drones to strike civilian buildings.
One strike, on Moscow’s financial district, was compared to the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York by Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
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A security officer stands guard near a damaged office building in the Moscow City following a reported Ukrainian drone attack in Moscow
“Let’s take a look at another example: the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers. It caused an enormous number of casualties but the methods were the same,” she told the Soloviev Live TV channel.
“The Moscow City district is a civilian site, which only hosts offices and a business centre, along with living quarters – a great number of residential apartments – as well as civilian administrative buildings that have nothing to do with the military.”
She added: “We are seeing the same picture now, as if it is repeating itself.”
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Earlier, Russian authorities said two of three drones had been shot down over the capital, with one eluding air defences and damaging a high-rise building – which was also hit in a similar attack on Sunday.
No casualties have been reported.
The 9/11 attacks, which saw the Islamist terror group al Qaeda hijack commercial airlines which they crashed into the World Trade Centre and attempted to crash into Washington D.C, claimed the lives of 2,996 people.
Ukraine has also accused Russia of using drone strikes against its civilians, with Iranian-made Shahed-136 kamikaze drones among the most feared.
On Monday night, two Russian drone attacks destroyed the floors of a college dormitory and struck the centre of Kharkiv, Ukrainian officials have said.
One person was injured in the strikes and emergency services have been dealing with the damage caused.
World
Trump criticises Putin after potentially ‘historic’ meeting with Zelenskyy before Pope’s funeral
Donald Trump has criticised Vladimir Putin and suggested a shift in his stance towards the Russian president after a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy before the Pope’s funeral.
The Ukrainian president said the one-on-one talks could prove to be “historic” after pictures showed him sitting opposite Mr Trump, around two feet apart, in the large marble hall inside St Peter’s Basilica.
The US president said he doubted his Russian counterpart’s willingness to end the war after leaving Rome after the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican.
Follow live updates: 200,000 mourn at Vatican
In a post on his Truth Social platform, he said “there was no reason” for the Russian president “to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days”.
The two leaders held talks before attending the Pope’s funeral
He added: “It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?’ Too many people are dying!!!”
The meeting between the US and Ukrainian leaders was their first face-to-face encounter since a very public row in the Oval Office in February.
Mr Zelenskyy said he had a good meeting with Mr Trump in which they talked about the defence of the Ukrainian people, a full and unconditional ceasefire, and a durable and lasting peace that would prevent the war restarting.
Other images released by the Ukrainian president’s office show Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron were present for part of the talks, which were described as “positive” by the French presidency.
Mr Zelenskyy‘s spokesman said the meeting lasted for around 15 minutes and he and Mr Trump had agreed to hold further discussions later on Saturday.
The world leaders shared a moment before the service
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in the Basilica
But the US president left Rome for Washington on Air Force One soon after the funeral without any other talks having taken place.
The Ukrainian president’s office said there was no second meeting in Rome because of the tight schedule of both leaders, although he had separate discussions with Mr Starmer and Mr Macron.
The French president said in a post on X “Ukraine is ready for an unconditional ceasefire” and that a so-called coalition of the willing, led by the UK and France, would continue working to achieve a lasting peace.
There was applause from some of the other world leaders in attendance at the Vatican when Mr Zelenskyy walked out of St Peter’s Basilica after stopping in front of the pontiff’s coffin to pay his respects.
Donald Trump and the Ukrainian president met for the first time since their Oval Office row. Pic: Reuters
Sir Tony Brenton, the former British ambassador to Russia, said the event presents diplomatic opportunities, including the “biggest possible meeting” between Mr Trump and the Ukrainian leader.
He told Sky News it could mark “an important step” in starting the peace process between Russia and Ukraine.
Professor Father Francesco Giordano told Sky News the meeting is being called “Pope Francis’s miracle” by members of the clergy, adding: “There’s so many things that happened today – it was just overwhelming.”
The bilateral meeting comes after Mr Trump’s peace negotiator Steve Witkoff held talks with Mr Putin at the Kremlin.
They discussed “the possibility of resuming direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine”, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said.
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Russia and Ukraine have not held direct talks since the early weeks of the war, which began in February 2022.
Mr Trump has claimed a deal to end the war is “very close” and has urged Mr Zelenskyy to “get it done” in a post on his Truth Social platform.
He has previously warned both sides his administration would walk away from its efforts to achieve a peace if the two sides do not agree a deal soon.
Meanwhile, the Polish armed forces said a Russian military helicopter violated its airspace over the Baltic Sea on Friday evening.
“The nature of the incident indicates that Russia is testing the readiness of our air defence systems,” they said in a post on X.
On an extraordinary day, remarkable pictures on the margins that capture what may be a turning point for the world.
In a corner of St Peter’s Basilica before the funeral of Pope Francis, the leaders of America and Ukraine sit facing each other in two solitary chairs.
They look like confessor and sinner except we cannot tell which one is which.
Leaning forward hands together in their laps, Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy stare at each other in one photo.
In another, the Ukrainian president seems to be remonstrating with the US president. This is their first encounter since their infamous bust-up in the Oval Office.
The two leaders held talks before attending the Pope’s funeral
Other pictures show the moment their French and British counterparts introduced the two men. There is a palpable sense of nervousness in the way the leaders engage.
We do not know what the two presidents said in their brief meeting.
But in the mind of the Ukrainian leader will be the knowledge President Trump has this week said America will reward Russia for its unprovoked brutal invasion of his country, under any peace deal.
Mr Trump has presented Ukraine and Russia with a proposal and ultimatum so one-sided it could have been written in the Kremlin.
Kyiv must surrender the land Russia has taken by force, Crimea forever, the rest at least for now. And it must submit to an act of extortion, a proposed deal that would hand over half its mineral wealth effectively to America.
The world leaders shared a moment before the service
Afterwards, Zelenskyy said it had been a good meeting that could turn out to be historic “if we reach results together”.
They had talked, he said, about the defence of Ukraine, a full and unconditional ceasefire and a durable and lasting peace that will prevent a war restarting.
The Trump peace proposal includes only unspecified security guarantees for Ukraine from countries that do not include the US. It rules out any membership of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s allies are watching closely to see if Mr Trump will apply any pressure on Vladimir Putin, let alone punish him for recent bloody attacks on Ukraine.
Or will he simply walk away if the proposal fails, blaming Ukrainian intransigence, however outrageously, before moving onto a rapprochement with Moscow.
If he does, America’s role as guarantor of international security will be seen effectively as over.
This could be the week we see the world order as we have known it since the end of the Second World War buried, as well as a pope.
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