The United States has sanctioned the two Chinese companies they say are involved in the production and use of aerial drones by Russia during its war in Ukraine.
In a press release, the US Treasury said that it was also targeting Artem Yamshchikov and his Russian company, which it said served as an intermediary between these firms and the Russian state-owned arms company.
This means that their property and interests are now under US control.
Volodymyr Zelensky, in a speech before the EU Council, outlined his “victory strategy” and said that Ukraine had intelligence indicating that “China was still actively helping Russia drag this war out”.
The US Treasury announced that it had sanctioned Xiamen Limbach Aircraft Engine Co – which makes engines for Russia’s Garpiya drones – and Redlepus Vector Industry Shenzhen Co due to its involvement in shipment.
Matthew Miller, spokesman for the US State Department, said that so-called suicide drones were “used to destroy critical infrastructure” and had resulted in “mass casualties”.
Reuters reports that thousands of them have been manufactured since last year.
Bradley Smith, a US Treasury official, said that Russia increasingly relies on foreign professionals’ expertise and the importation of sophisticated technologies to maintain its weapons program.
In his remarks to the EU Council, the Ukrainian President also accused North Korea of aiding Russia in its war effort.
“[Russian president Vladimir] Putin wants your countries’ ammunition to be equal by next year,” said he to European leaders.
“Please don’t relax the sanctions against Russia – it really helps.”
Zelensky also outlined in his speech the five-point plan of victory he revealed on Wednesday to the Ukrainian Parliament.
He said that Ukrainian troops could hold the frontline within his own country while continuing to assault Russian territory, if allies provided the weapons Ukraine had requested.
Zelensky said that applying pressure to Russia and defending Ukraine is necessary to achieve an equitable peace, including being allowed to use long-range rockets on Russian soil.
Zelensky stated that “we propose placing on Ukrainian soil a deterrence program which would either force Russia into real peace negotiations, or allow the destruction of their targets.”
He described this as “peace by strength” and added: “Putin shouldn’t make the free world tremble with his threats.”
Ukraine’s allies have so far refrained from allowing their missiles with long ranges to be fired at targets in Russia.
Putin has said that Ukraine using Western-supplied arms would be equivalent to Nato countries directly fighting with Russia, even though Western nations had crossed his “redlines” in the past without retaliation.
Kyiv claims that its ability to defend itself is limited by the fact that it cannot hit the bases that many of the airstrikes that have bombarded Ukraine from since Russia launched their full-scale invasion on February 20, 2022.
Zelensky said that the surprise Kursk offensive of Ukrainian forces in Russia, which caught both Russia and Ukraine by surprise, showed that “Putin doesn’t have enough strength to hold when we apply real pressure”.
He suggests that military operations in Russia be continued to avoid the creation of “buffer zones” in Ukraine.
Zelensky said that another part of his plan, an invitation to join Nato, would strengthen Ukraine’s position in negotiations. However, he suggested that this would not mean immediate military alliance membership.
“Russia has taken advantage of the geopolitical insecurity caused by Ukraine’s non-membership in Nato,” he said to the EU Council. He added that “an invitation to Ukraine to become a member of Nato immediately would be decisive”.
He said: “Of Course, membership will follow later.”
Allies have expressed their support for Ukraine, but not yet endorsed Zelensky’s plan.
Mark Rutte, the new secretary general of Nato, said that it was a’strong signal’ but would only commit “in future” to Ukrainian Nato membership.
Charles Michel, President of the EU Council, said that following Zelensky’s speech it was “urgent” to provide more financial and military assistance to Ukraine.