The Guardian’s Global Affairs Editor, Julian Burger, talks through the state of play between the US, China and Russia.
The United States will try Persuading China not to supply arms to Russia At a high-level meeting in Rome, the White House sees it as crucial not only to the war there Ukraine But also for the future of the global balance of power.
Jake Sullivan, the US National Security Adviser, will meet his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi, in the Italian capital amid reports that Russia I ordered weapons from China to bolster its faltering invasion of Ukraine.
Sullivan will point out that the United States briefed Beijing on Vladimir Putin’s intentions months before the invasion, but the Chinese leadership ignored those warnings, mistakenly believing Putin was cheating to gain influence, according to sources familiar with the plans for the Rome meeting. Sullivan will also argue if China Supplying arms to Moscow would be another historical mistake and a turning point in world politics.
The White House is eager to prevent the Ukraine war, which further entrenches the world’s division into two opposing blocs. In an interview with CNNSullivan said:
We are also closely watching to see how far China In fact, he provides any form of support – material support or economic support – to Russia.
It is a concern to us. We have told Beijing that we will not stand idly by and allow any country to compensate Russia for its losses from economic sanctions.”
Sullivan said the United States made it clear to Beijing that there would be “absolute consequences” for “widespread” efforts to help Russia evade sanctions.
Russia has also asked China for economic help as it faces severe Western sanctions, but Sullivan told CNN that the US was “communicating directly, particularly with Beijing that there will certainly be consequences” if China helps Russia evade sanctions.
The financial timesAnd the The New York Times And the Washington Post On Sunday, it reported on the Russian demand for weapons, amid allegations from US officials that the Russian military was running out of certain types of weapons.
A spokesman for the US Embassy in Washington, Liu Bingyu, told CNN he had “never heard of” Russian arms requests.
“The current situation in Ukraine “It is truly concerning,” he said in a statement. “The top priority now is to prevent the tense situation from escalating or even spiraling out of control.”
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