China to give Russia 'lethal support' amid war with Ukraine? US sounds alarm as war nears 1 year mark
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that the Asian nation was mulling supply of 'lethal support' ranging ‘from ammunition to the weapons themselves’.
PremiumAs the Ukraine Russia war nears the one year mark, top US officials have grown increasingly concerned about China's involvement. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that the Asian nation was mulling supply of "lethal support" ranging "from ammunition to the weapons themselves."
The development comes amid desperate calls for fresh supplies from Ukraine and warnings that its NATO allies had severely depleted their weapons stockpile. Meanwhile reports suggest that Russia has intensified ground attacks across southern and eastern Ukraine.
As the first anniversary of invasion nears, a major new offensive appears to be shaping.
Also read: NATO's weapon stockpile dwindles amid Ukraine war - Here's all you need to know
In recent days, the already strained US-Chinese relations have been further tested by Washington's shooting down of a Chinese ‘spy’ balloon. Against this backdrop, Blinken had recently met Wang Yi - the Chinese Communist Party’s senior-most foreign policy official - for an hourlong talk in Munich.
“There were concerns that China was considering providing lethal support to Russia in its war against Ukraine. I was able to share with him, as President Biden had shared with President Xi, the serious consequences that would have for our relationship," Blinken told CBS News.
Meanwhile, the Chinese official insisted that Beijing has "neither stood by idly nor thrown fuel on the fire" regarding the crisis in Ukraine.
Wang said that China continues to call for peace and dialogue. According to a Global Times report, he asserted that China was not a party directly inolved in the situation and said that the conflict 'must not continue any longer'.
Also read: Russia committed crimes against humanity: Kamala Harris
Reports quoting US and European officials indicated that many are firmly convinced that Beijing's stance as a proponent of peace is a mere smokescreen as it quietly aided Russia's war efforts.
“We’ve seen that China and Russia signed an unlimited partnership, and I think we need more proof and more action to see that China is not supporting Russia. So far, we see the opposite. And therefore, there is an open question on the table," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told CNN.
(With inputs from agencies)
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