Russia Ukraine Crisis: All eyes on Biden-Xi call, why it is so important?

Washington, Mar 18: US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold their first direct talks their first since a video summit in November. The two leaders' 9:00 am (1300 GMT) scheduled phone call, will be a chance to iron out differences as the United States spearheads an unprecedented pressure campaign on Russia, placing China in a geopolitical bind.

During the call, Biden is expected to warn his Chinese counterpart that he will face "costs" if Beijing rescues fellow authoritarian ally Russia from intense Western sanctions aimed at punishing Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

It's "an opportunity for President Biden to assess where President Xi stands," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

Biden has successfully marshaled a tight Western alliance against Russia, while giving military support to Ukrainian forces.

But Beijing has refused to condemn Moscow, and Washington fears the Chinese could switch to full financial and even military support for Russia, transforming an already explosive transatlantic standoff into a global dispute.

Biden "will make clear that China will bear responsibility for any actions it takes to support Russia's aggression and we will not hesitate to impose costs," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

He hoped China would use "whatever leverage they have to compel Moscow to end this war," the top US diplomat said.

"Instead, it appears that China is moving in the opposite direction," Blinken said, adding he was "concerned that they're considering directly assisting Russia with military assistance."

All eyes on Biden-Xi call, why it is so important?

• The call comes at a critical moment in the Russia-Ukraine war
• China plans to support Russia
• US must manage a 'cold-blooded' partnership between Russia and China
• Whole world is watching China's reaction to Ukraine war closely
• Biden and Xi have very different worldviews