Moscow asked Beijing for military equipment for support son invasion of Ukraine, US officials said on Sunday.
US officials told the Financial Times (FT) that Russia had requested for China’s aid since it launched its war against Ukraine.
officials declined provide details of Russia’s requests.
Meanwhile, another source told FT that Washington was preparing to warn allies of the potential of China responded positively to Russia’s requests.
Russia said on Sunday that mattered on China to help he resists the blow to his economy western sanctions over the war in Ukraine, but the United States warned Beijing not to provide that lifeline.
Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said the sanctions deprived Moscow of access at 300 billion dollars of its 640 billion dollars in gold and foreign exchange reserves and added that there was pressure on Beijing to shut off more.
“We have a part of our gold and currency reserves in Chinese currency, in yuan. And on see what pressure is exerted by the westerners countries on China in in order to limit mutual trade with China. Of course, there is pressure to limit access to these reservations,” he said.
“But I think our partnership with China will continue allow us maintain the cooperation that we have achieved, and not only maintain, but also increase it in a environment where Western markets are closing.”
western countries imposed unprecedented sanctions on Russian companies and financial system since he invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what he calls a special military transaction.
Siluanov’s comments in a television interview marked the clearest statement yet from Moscow that she will seek help from China to cushion the impact.
But we national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Washington was warning China not to provide it.
“We communicate directly in private to Beijing, that there will be absolutely consequences for large-scale sanctions, evasion attempts or support in Russia to fill them,” Sullivan told CNN.
“We will not allow than to go forward and allow there must be a lifeline for russia from these economic sanctions from any country, anywhere in the world”, added Sullivan, who to meet with senior Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi in Rome on Monday.
Russia and China have strengthened their cooperation in recent times car both came under heavy western pressure over human rights and a raft of other issues. Beijing did not condemn Russia attack on Ukraine and not call I bronze invasionbut he advocated a negotiated solution.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and son Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping met in beijing on February 4 and announced a strategic partnership which, according to them, was intended to counter the influence of the United States, describing it as a friendship with No limits.
China is Russia’s top export market after the European Union. Russian exports to China were worth $79.3 billion in 2021, with oil and gas accounting for 56% of that according to china customs agency.
