U.S. officials say Russia has asked China for military assistance for its war in Ukraine, an unusual request that suggests Vladimir Putin has faced more setbacks than he imagined in his invasion.
A US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss sensitive issues, declined to say what kind of weaponry Moscow had asked from its most important diplomatic ally. The official refused to explain how the government is aware of these facts. The request, according to another US official, is not new and was made shortly after Russia’s incursion on February 24. A spokeswoman for the White House declined to comment.
This latest twist comes as the U.S. and China plan to hold their first high-level, in-person talks since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The White House said National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan will meet in Rome on Monday with China’s top diplomat, Communist Party Politburo member Yang Jiechi.
It’s part of the Biden administration’s ongoing pressure on Beijing to exert its influence on Putin to end the crisis and was arranged before news of Russia’s outreach to China spilled into the public sphere. The Russian Embassy in Washington didn’t respond to a request for comment on Sunday.
As the conflict continues Putin’s campaign has run into difficulties. The question is whether it’s in President Xi Jinping’s interest to engage with any Russian weapons request and set off China’s biggest foreign policy shift since Richard Nixon’s visit in 1972.
Xi has tried to thread a needle in neither condemning nor supporting Putin’s actions. But while Russia sells far more arms to China than it buys, Beijing’s rapid military modernization has seen it produce more advanced weapons in recent years.
Sending weapons would risk severe economic penalties on Chinese companies and a big escalation in trade tensions with the U.S. at an extremely delicate time.
As the most powerful Chinese leader in decades, Xi is consolidating power and has made stability a priority ahead of a once-in-five-year party congress later this year at which he’s expected to secure a third term in office. China has said it wants a quick resolution to the war, and there’s no indication it wants to help prolong a conflict that is severely hurting financial and energy markets.
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