Washington DC: A US official said Russia asked China for military equipment to use in its invasion of Ukraine, a request that heightened tensions about the ongoing war ahead of a Monday meeting in Rome between top aides for the US and Chinese governments.
In advance of the talks, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan bluntly warned China to avoid helping Russia evade punishment from global sanctions that have hammered the Russian economy.
We will not allow that to go forward, he said. China in turn accused on Monday the US of spreading disinformation.
The prospect of China offering Russia financial help is one of several concerns for President Joe Biden.
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said that in recent days, Russia had requested support from China, including military equipment, to press forward in its ongoing war with Ukraine.
The official did not provide details on the scope of the request. The request was first reported by the Financial Times and The Washington Post.
The US and China are sending top aides to meet in Rome on Monday amid mounting tensions between the two countries over the Russia-Ukraine war and as the U.S. said Russia has asked China for military equipment to help press its campaign.
In advance of the talks, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan bluntly warned China to avoid helping Russia evade punishment from global sanctions that have hammered the Russian economy. We will not allow that to go forward, he said.
The Biden administration is also accusing China of 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 invasion of Ukraine has put China in a delicate spot with two of its biggest trading partners: the US and European Union.
China needs access to those markets, yet it also has shown support for Moscow, joining with Russia in declaring a friendship with
no limits.