Blinken to hold talks with Chinese counterpart amid worries about China's drone assistance to Russia

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sept.

27 during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. This meeting between the top diplomats of both countries comes in response to increasing U.S. concerns regarding Chinese companies supplying chips and drones to Moscow, significantly enhancing Russia's military capabilities in its ongoing war against Ukraine.

Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell has informed Congress that China's material support for Russia's war effort "comes from the very top," the Voice of America (VOA) reported. Blinken's discussions with Wang will occur before a scheduled call between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, anticipated later this fall.

Earlier this week, President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the U.N. General Assembly, asserting that Ukraine would never accept a deal imposed by other nations to conclude Russia's 31-month invasion, and questioned the intentions of China and Brazil in advocating for negotiations with Moscow. For months, U.S. officials have accused China of actively supporting Russia's war effort.

Washington has placed sanctions on Chinese firms supplying critical components to Russia's defense sector. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller recently told VOA that the U.S. openly discusses its "differences" with China to ensure both countries "at least understand where the other is coming from, even if we can't reach an agreement."

Opinion: As Russia circumvents sanctions, Europe faces a strategic crossroads Returning from their summer recess, European Union leaders have a packed agenda.

At the top of the list are strengthening the bloc's readiness for conflict and bolstering its economic competitiveness.

For decades, the EU relied on economic influence as a substitute for hard power.

But in an era of