Russia has asked China for military equipment to support its invasion of Ukraine, US officials say, sparking concern in the White House that Beijing could undermine Western efforts to help Ukrainian forces defend their country.
US officials told the Financial Times that Russia had requested military equipment and other forms of assistance since the start of the invasion. They declined to give details of what Russia had requested.
Another person familiar with the situation said the United States was preparing to warn its allies, amid some indications that China may be preparing to help Russia. Other U.S. officials have said there are signs Russia is running out of certain types of weapons as the war in Ukraine drags into its third week.
The White House had no comment. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.
The revelation comes as US national security adviser Jake Sullivan travels to Rome for talks on Monday with senior Chinese foreign policy official Yang Jiechi.
Before leaving Washington on Sunday, Sullivan warned China not to try to “bail out” Russia by helping Moscow circumvent sanctions the United States and its allies have imposed on President Vladimir Putin and his regime.
“We will ensure that neither China nor anyone else can compensate Russia for these losses,” Sullivan told NBC television on Sunday. “In terms of specific ways to do that, again, I’m not going to disclose everything in public, but we will communicate it privately to China, as we have done before and will continue to do so.”
The request for equipment and other types of unspecified military assistance comes as the Russian military struggles to make as much progress in Ukraine as Western intelligence thinks.
It also raises new questions about Sino-Russian relations, which have grown increasingly strong as both countries voice opposition to the United States on everything from NATO to sanctions.
China presented itself as a neutral player in the Ukraine crisis and refused to condemn Russia for invading the country. The United States has also seen no signs that Chinese President Xi Jinping is willing to put pressure on Putin.
The two leaders signed a joint statement in Beijing last month describing the Beijing-Moscow partnership as having “no limits”, in another sign that the two capitals are drawing even closer.
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