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China should feel a “higher cost” for lending support to Russia during the war in Ukraine, the nominee to be the EU’s next top diplomat has said.

Kaja Kallas, the former Estonian prime minister, told European Parliament that “without China’s support to Russia, Russia would not be able to continue its war with the same force”.

“China needs to also feel a higher cost,” she said, without detailing what that would entail.

For context: China’s relationship with Russia has deepened in recent years.

Beijing has yet to condemn Russia or describe the war in Ukraine as an “invasion” – and has also criticised Western sanctions imposed on Moscow.

Despite China portraying itself as a neutral party in the conflict, a Western official told Sky News back in September that there was “clear evidence” Chinese companies are supplying military attack drones to Russia for the war in Ukraine.

The UK and other allies have previously accused China of providing so-called dual-use products to Russia that could be used for military purposes.

More than 100 drones launched by Russia overnight

Russia launched a huge barrage of 110 drones at Ukraine overnight and less than half were intercepted, Ukraine’s military has said.

The air force said it shot down 46 of the drones, while 60 were “lost in various regions of Ukraine” and two more left towards Belarus.

Moscow’s forces also used missiles and guided aerial bombs during the attack, it said.

Oleh Syniehubov, governor of the northeastern Kharkiv region, said a late night attack in Kharkiv city yesterday injured three people and damaged 20 residential buildings.

Debris fell in a central area of the Kyiv region, damaging 10 private homes, while there were also blasts in the central region of Cherkasy, according to officials.