The White House said countries around the world are eyeing China’s response to a request by Russia for assistance in its war against Ukraine but won’t elaborate on warnings to Beijing.
Officials have sought to short-circuit any attempt by Beijing to aid Moscow with a lifeline amid the invasion, fearing that it could hamper U.S. efforts to isolate and punish Russia and extend the conflict. But Washington has declined to telegraph publicly the penalties Beijing could face for cooperating with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
During a seven-hour meeting with his Chinese counterpart in Rome, President Joe Biden’s top national security aide was “very direct about the consequences” of aiding Russia and made clear that the United States and other nations would be watching closely, press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday.
“It’s not just us,” she added. “The decisions that China makes are going to be watched by the world.”
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TRIES TO CUT OFF CHINESE LIFELINE TO RUSSIA
The U.S. told diplomatic allies that China expressed openness to providing military assistance to Russia, according to reports. The request for armed drones and other equipment came early in the conflict, a U.S. official told Bloomberg.
Psaki declined to say how the U.S. would respond to China’s actions.
“We’re going to have those conversations directly with China and Chinese leadership, not through the media at this point,” Psaki said.
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National security adviser Jake Sullivan has warned of “consequences” for Beijing if it helps Russia evade sanctions, with a senior administration adviser telling reporters on Monday that he voiced “deep concerns about China’s alignment with Russia” while meeting with China’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi.
