US warns China against helping Russia

Unnamed U.S. officials told multiple media outlets that China has offered to provide military assistance to Russia. China’s foreign ministry accused the United States of spreading false information. Russia has denied seeking military aid from Beijing.    

The exchanges took place ahead of top U.S. and Chinese officials in Rome. The media, citing Washington officials, report that in recent days, Russia has specifically requested military equipment from China, including drones. The press said that the United States warned allies on Monday that China had offered military and economic support. The report came as U.S.U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with senior Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi for talks in Rome.

“Mr Sullivan raised several issues in US-China relations by substantively discussing Russia’s war against Ukraine,” the meeting said in a speech. “They also stressed the importance of keeping lines of communication open between the United States and China.”   

In a previous interview with CNN, Sullivan said the U.S.U.S. was “bluntly, privately telling Beijing that there will be absolutely no repercussions for large-scale efforts to evade sanctions or support Russia to enforce them.” “We will not allow this to continue, and we will allow Russia to be a lifeline from these economic sanctions from any country, from anywhere in the world,” he said. He added that while the United States believed China was aware that Russian leader Vladimir Putin was “planning something” before the invasion, Beijing “may not have fully understood its significance.” 

A duty officer of the pro-Russian troops in a uniform without insignia jumps out of a tank with the letters “Z” painted on it near a residential building damaged during the Ukrainian-Russian conflict in the city Volnovakha, Donetsk region. , controlled by separatists, Ukraine March 11, 2022.   

“Because Putin likely lied to them just as he lied to the Europeans and others,” Sullivan said. In response, Beijing Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the United States was “maliciously spreading misinformation on the Ukraine issue against China.” Asked if he could elaborate on whether China had received a request for military assistance from Russia, Zhao replied that it was “fake news” but did not deny it outright. He added that China’s position has always been consistent and that China is playing a constructive role in advancing the talks.  

President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said reports that Russia had sought military assistance from China were untrue. “Russia has its own independent potential to continue operating. As we have said, it is on schedule and will be completed on time and in full,” he said. State Department spokesman Ned Price said the U.S.U.S. expressed the Chinese delegation’s concerns “outspoken and very clearly.” 

So far, China has not condemned the Russian aggression and said Moscow’s “legitimate security concerns” should be taken seriously. When the U.N.U.N. General Assembly voted earlier this month to condemn the invasion of Russia; China was one of 35 countries to abstain. But Beijing also expressed “firm support” for Ukraine’s sovereignty. He also called for peace and said he was ready to help end the war through diplomacy. Some countries are urging China to do more to prevent Russian aggression.  

The E.U. and the U.S. are helping Ukraine, China is assisting Russia; if so, this distinction will make the war in Ukraine even more significant. The White House decided to release his statement just as President Biden’s chief security adviser is expected to meet with a senior Chinese diplomat. This appears to be a tactical move to pressure China, presumably confirming or denying this. The larger goal may be to get Xi Jinping to weigh the pros and cons of his current stance on what was called a “hard” relationship with Moscow last week. Recall that just a few weeks ago, at the opening of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, Presidents Xi and Putin announced a new alliance that “has no boundaries.” 

Military aid can certainly be part of that. But days after invading Russia, China condemned Britain, the United States and other countries for supplying Ukrainian forces with weapons, saying they were “adding fuel to the fire”. If the U.S.U.S. intelligence assessment is correct and Beijing accedes to the request, they will also “refuel.”