A United States official has said that Russia asked China for military equipment to use in its invasion of Ukraine, a request that heightened tensions about the ongoing war ahead of Monday meeting in Rome between top aides for the US & government of China.
In advance of the negotiations, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan strictly warned China to stop assisting Russia to evade punishment from global restrictions that have beaten the Russian economy. “We will not permit that to go forward,” he said.
The possibility of China offering financial help to Russia is one of several concerns for President Joe Biden. On the condition of anonymity, a US official said, “a few days back, Russia had asked for support from China, including military equipment, to push ahead in its ongoing tensions with Ukraine. The official did not provide information on the scope of the request.
The Biden administration blames China for spreading Russian disinformation that could be a pretext for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces to attack Ukraine with chemical or biological weapons.
Russia’s call for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine has put China in a delicate position with its biggest trading partners, the US and European Union. China needs access to those markets, yet it also has shown support in Moscow, joining with Russia in declaring a friendship with “no limits.”
