EU's Borrell: Russia-China Partnership Has Limits

European Commission vice-president in charge for High-Representative of the Union for Foreign Policy and Security Policy Josep Borrell speaks to journalists ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) at the EU headquarters in Brussels on March 20, 2023. (AFP)
European Commission vice-president in charge for High-Representative of the Union for Foreign Policy and Security Policy Josep Borrell speaks to journalists ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) at the EU headquarters in Brussels on March 20, 2023. (AFP)
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EU's Borrell: Russia-China Partnership Has Limits

European Commission vice-president in charge for High-Representative of the Union for Foreign Policy and Security Policy Josep Borrell speaks to journalists ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) at the EU headquarters in Brussels on March 20, 2023. (AFP)
European Commission vice-president in charge for High-Representative of the Union for Foreign Policy and Security Policy Josep Borrell speaks to journalists ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) at the EU headquarters in Brussels on March 20, 2023. (AFP)

China's partnership with Russia has limits, despite rhetoric to the contrary, and Europe should welcome any attempts by Beijing to distance itself from Moscow's war in Ukraine, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Friday.

Borrell's remarks followed a summit this week between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two leaders declared a "no limits" partnership in February 2022, just days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

But Borrell said that while China had forged close economic and diplomatic ties with Russia, it had not formed a military alliance with Moscow and had not supplied arms to help Russia with its war in Ukraine.

"This unlimited friendship seems to have some limits," Borrell told reporters in Brussels.

"China has not crossed any red lines for us."

Borrell also said he would visit China soon, although the date of the trip is still to be finalized. The visit makes him one of a series of European Union leaders heading for China.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is planning to visit next week while French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the EU's chief executive, will travel there together the following week.

Borrell said Beijing's proposals to end the war showed it did not want to fully align with Russia and the EU should welcome this, even if Western officials have made clear they do not regard Beijing's initiative as a fully-fledged peace plan.

He said China wanted to play the role of a "facilitator", rather than a mediator.

As Russia has welcomed China's proposals, "China appears in a role that I think we should push," Borrell said.



27 Inmates are Still at Large Following an Israeli Airstrike during the 12-day War, Iran says

In this photo taken Tuesday, June 24, 2025, rescuers search through the rubble of a damaged section of Evin Prison following an Israeli strike the day before, in Tehran, Iran. (AP Photo/Mostafa Roudaki/Mizan News Agency)
In this photo taken Tuesday, June 24, 2025, rescuers search through the rubble of a damaged section of Evin Prison following an Israeli strike the day before, in Tehran, Iran. (AP Photo/Mostafa Roudaki/Mizan News Agency)
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27 Inmates are Still at Large Following an Israeli Airstrike during the 12-day War, Iran says

In this photo taken Tuesday, June 24, 2025, rescuers search through the rubble of a damaged section of Evin Prison following an Israeli strike the day before, in Tehran, Iran. (AP Photo/Mostafa Roudaki/Mizan News Agency)
In this photo taken Tuesday, June 24, 2025, rescuers search through the rubble of a damaged section of Evin Prison following an Israeli strike the day before, in Tehran, Iran. (AP Photo/Mostafa Roudaki/Mizan News Agency)

Iran said Tuesday 27 inmates were still at large after an Israeli airstrike last month targeted Evin prison in the north of the capital, Tehran, local media reported.

The airstrikes were part of Israel’s 12-day bombardment of Iran that killed about 1,100 people. while 28 were left dead in Israel in Iranian retaliatory strikes, The Associated Press said.

Judiciary’s news website, Mizanonline, quoted spokesman Asghar Jahangir as saying 75 prisoners had escaped following the strike, of which 48 were either recaptured or voluntarily returned. He said authorities will detain the others if they don't hand themselves over.

Jahangir said the escapees were prisoners doing time for minor offenses.

Iranian officials said the Israeli strike killed 71 people, but local media reported earlier in July that 80 were left dead at the time, including prison staff, soldiers, inmates and visiting family members. Authorities also said five inmates died.

It’s unclear why Israel targeted the prison. The Israeli Defense Ministry had said that 50 aircraft dropped 100 munitions on military targets “based on high-quality and accurate intelligence from the Intelligence Branch.”

The New York-based Center for Human Rights had criticized Israel for striking the prison, seen as a symbol of repression of any opposition, saying it violated the principle of distinction between civilian and military targets.