China's Ambassador Sparks Controversy Over Sovereignty of Former Soviet States and Ukraine

China's foreign ministry has distanced itself from comments made by its ambassador to Paris, Lu Shaye, who questioned the sovereignty of Ukraine and other former Soviet states. Several EU foreign ministers had criticised Lu's comments and asked Beijing to clarify its stance. The Chinese embassy in Paris issued a statement saying Lu's comments on Ukraine "were not a political declaration but an expression of his personal views". The EU welcomed the clarification, while Lithuania and its Baltic neighbours Latvia and Estonia plan to summon Chinese representatives to officially ask for clarification.