(Original publication link ) On 24 March, the European Union and China held their 15 th  annual consultations on security and defence in Brussels. The EU and China exchanged views on Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. The EU recalled its unwavering support to Ukraine, stressing that the respect for the UN Charter, in particular Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, remained the basis of any settlement. The EU also conveyed that China’s positioning on the war