President Joe Biden’s top national security adviser said Sunday that the White House had yet to see China provide lethal assistance to Russia in its war against Ukraine and warned Beijing that doing so would be against its interests.
“We have not yet seen China provide Russia with military equipment to fight the war in Ukraine. We haven’t seen it yet,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”
“We keep watching. We will remain vigilant as President Biden said, but so far we haven’t seen it,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan added: “I don’t think China is interested in doing this.”
His comments come after reports that the United States believes China is considering sending artillery and ammunition to Russia.
“I think it would alienate them from various countries around the world, including our European allies, and place them squarely at the center of responsibility for the kinds of war crimes and bombing of civilians and atrocities that the Russians are committing. in Ukraine,” Sullivan said of China’s sending military aid to Russia, adding that “their weapons would actually be used for the killing of people in Ukraine.”
“But that is a decision that Beijing will have to make for itself,” he added.
NBC News reported that intelligence suggests China is considering sending artillery and ammunition to Russia, according to three current US officials, a Western official and a former US official briefed on the intelligence. These officials did not say what specific evidence they have to support their claims.
China’s foreign ministry did not respond to NBC News’ earlier request for comment on the intelligence.
The Wall Street Journal was the first to report details of what the United States thinks Beijing is considering.
This is a developing story, please check back for updates.