A member of the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces looks at a destroyed Russian military vehicle in a forest outside Ukraine鈥檚 second-biggest city of Kharkiv on March 7, 2022. AFP聽
WASHINGTON 鈥� Russia has asked China for military and economic aid for its war in Ukraine, US media reported Sunday, hours after the White House warned Beijing would face severe 鈥渃onsequences鈥� if it helps Moscow evade sanctions.
US officials told media that Russia had requested military equipment and support from its key ally.
Moscow also asked Beijing for economic assistance against the crippling sanctions imposed against it by most of the Western world, the New York Times said, again citing anonymous officials.
The officials declined to explain exactly what Russia had requested, or whether China had responded, according to the reports.
A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington told multiple outlets 鈥淚鈥檝e never heard of that鈥� when asked about the alleged requests.
The reports came just a few hours after the White House announced a high-level US delegation would meet with a top Chinese official in Rome Monday.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Yang Jiechi, the Chinese Communist Party鈥檚 chief diplomat, 鈥渨ill discuss ongoing efforts to manage the competition between our two countries and discuss the impact of Russia鈥檚 war against Ukraine on regional and global security,鈥� National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said Sunday in a statement.
Beijing has declined to directly condemn Moscow for launching its invasion, and has repeatedly blamed NATO鈥檚 鈥渆astward expansion鈥� for worsening tensions between Russia and Ukraine, echoing the Kremlin鈥檚 prime security grievance.
Sullivan made a round of Sunday talk shows to say the White House was 鈥渨atching closely鈥� to see whether China provides material or economic support to Russia to help it evade the punishing impact of sanctions.
鈥淚t is a concern of ours, and we have communicated to Beijing that we will not stand by and allow any country to compensate Russia for its losses from the economic sanctions,鈥� he said on CNN鈥檚 鈥淪tate of the Union鈥� show.
Sullivan said that while he did not wish to 鈥渂randish threats鈥� against major economic rival China, 鈥渨e are communicating directly, privately to Beijing that there will absolutely be consequences for large-scale sanctions-evasion efforts.鈥�
Beijing said this past week that its friendship with Russia remains 鈥渞ock solid鈥� despite international condemnation of Moscow, and has expressed an openness to help mediate an end to the war.
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