Taiwan offers talks with Ukraine

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on Friday offered talks with Ukraine to crack down on sanctions-busting after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy name-checked the island as a source of illicit missile components.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, semiconductor powerhouse Taiwan has successively updated export controls to stop high-tech goods being used for military purposes, and has joined wide-ranging Western-led sanctions against Moscow.

Speaking in Davos on Thursday, Zelenskiy said Russia would not be able to produce missiles without "critical components sourced from China, Europe, the United States, and Taiwan", according to excerpts published on his website.

Responding on his X account in English, Lai said Taiwan has long worked with global partners to "staunchly support Ukraine through humanitarian aid & coordinated sanctions".

"We welcome further exchanges of information with President @ZelenskyyUa to further clamp down on illegal 3rd country transshipment & concealed end-use," he said, posting a picture of orchids in the colours of Ukraine's flag.

Source - Reuters