The United States is asking its closest ally about the possibility of imposing sanctions on China if Beijing provides military support to Russia in the conflict with Ukraine. On this subject informed Reuters, citing four US officials.
According to Reuters, the consultations are still at an early stage. Washington intends to secure the support of a certain number of countries, especially those which are members of the G7. It is unclear what sanctions are being discussed.
The Joe Biden administration’s first steps to counter China’s support for Russia included informal contacts at the diplomatic level, writes Reuters. According to a country official consulted by the United States, it has seen “little intelligence” that supports claims that China is considering military assistance to Russia.
It is assumed that China’s role in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict will be one of the topics of discussion when the US president meets with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the White House on March 3.
The Wall Street Journal wrote that China is considering the possibility of supplying artillery and drones to Russia. According to CNN, Beijing has not made a final decision on whether to provide military support to Moscow, but Chinese authorities are already discussing the cost and volume of weapons with the Russian side.
At the end of February, NBC News wrote that, according to American authorities, China was providing non-lethal military assistance to Russia for the fighting in Ukraine. Biden said he did not expect a “major initiative” from Beijing to supply arms to Moscow, but threatened China with consequences if the country decided to transfer arms.
Press Secretary of Russian President Dmitry Peskov denied comment on reports of possible deliveries of drones and artillery by China, because “this information has been denied by the Chinese side”.
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