During a recent visit to Hong Kong, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on the city's administration to take action to prevent Russia from using Hong Kong as a means to circumvent Western sanctions imposed in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The United States and European Union have sanctioned numerous companies in Hong Kong and mainland China for evading measures targeting Russia, including the supply of critical dual-use goods like semiconductors.
Kuleba emphasized the importance of these restrictive measures in weakening Russia's capacity to wage war and highlighted the need to protect Hong Kong's reputation as a liberal economy based on the rule of law. Dual-use items, which have civilian and military applications, are a focal point of the sanctions due to their significance to Russia's defense-industrial base.
The Hong Kong government stated that it strictly enforces United Nations Security Council sanctions, despite not being obligated to implement unilateral sanctions imposed by other countries. International companies in Hong Kong, including Chinese banks, have generally complied with US sanctions to avoid risks associated with being excluded from the global financial system.
Kuleba's visit to Hong Kong marked the conclusion of his trip to China, where he engaged in discussions regarding the conflict in Ukraine. China, a close partner of Russia, has faced scrutiny for its support of Moscow amid the invasion. While Beijing has criticized Western sanctions as lacking international legal basis, it expressed willingness to contribute to peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.
Ukraine reiterated its readiness for negotiations when Russia demonstrates a genuine commitment to dialogue. Despite international pressure and allegations of aiding Russia's war efforts, Beijing denies providing dual-use goods to Moscow and accuses the West of exacerbating the conflict by supplying arms to Ukraine.
