The US has warned China offering any form of help to Russia will be “at their own peril”. The State Department ramped up its warnings to Xi Jinping on Thursday as the People’s Republic of China’s top diplomat Wang Yi visited Moscow. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reported earlier this week that new intelligence had shown Beijing was considering offering “lethal support” to help its Russian allies’ efforts in Ukraine.
But State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement: “Our message to the People’s Republic of China has been consistent.
“They would decide to provide lethal assistance or to provide systematic assistance to Russia in its sanctions evasion at their own peril.
“It would come with costs and consequences from the United States, from the international community.”
Price added: “We’re watching this very closely. We’ve had these conversations directly, candidly, frankly, with the PRC, including when the Secretary of State met with Wang Yi in Munich just last weekend.”
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The spokesman also questioned China’s claims suggesting that Wang’s visit to Moscow was scheduled to discuss the country’s proposal for peace with Ukraine.
Russia being its closest ally, Beijing has resisted international pressure to condemn Moscow’s actions towards its neighbour since the start of the invasion a year ago.
He said the PRC’s conduct “gives us a great deal of pause” and said the Biden administration remains “sceptical” that a Chinese proposal would bring the conflict to a close.
Price added: “Again, it’s economic assistance to Russia; it’s diplomatic assistance, political assistance. It’s provisions of messaging support as well.
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China’s peace proposal calls for a ceasefire and peace talks, saying “relevant countries should stop abusing unilateral sanctions” and “do their share in de-escalating the Ukraine crisis.”
Beijing condemned the “Cold War mentality” characterising the conflict in a swipe at the United States and NATO.
The plan read: “The security of a region should not be achieved by strengthening or expanding military blocs.”
Russia has maintained its invasion of Ukraine was the result of concerns about a potential expansion of the international military alliance to include its neighbour.
However, Joe Biden this week told Vladimir Putin the war itself had pushed Kyiv into presenting an application. He also noted Russia’s strategy failed entirely as Finland and Sweden, who also resisted calls to join the alliance for decades, also applied to be members of NATO.
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