Beijing rebukes U.S. claim that Moscow asked it for aid in war on Ukraine

In a seven-hour meeting in Rome yesterday, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan “issued a direct warning” to his Chinese counterpart, Yáng Jiéchí 杨洁篪, about “the potential consequences of any assistance that Beijing might provide Russia in its war with Ukraine,” after recent allegations that Moscow requested military equipment and aid, per the Washington Post.

• “To do so means China would open itself to substantial sanctions and make itself a pariah; to refuse would keep open the possibility of at least selective cooperation with [the] U.S. and West,” Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, wrote on Twitter.

Both nations released separate statements on the meeting, though the details were sparse:

• The White House claimed there was “substantial discussion of Russia’s war against Ukraine.”
• Beijing noted (English, Chinese) that the “candid, in-depth and constructive talks” included an exchange on “views on international and regional issues including the Ukraine issue.”

Did Russia ask China for aid? It’s still unclear. U.S. officials told the New York Times that Russia asked China for military and economic support after Putin began his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which China has rebuked as “disinformation.”

• The U.S. has told allies that China “signaled its willingness to provide military assistance after Russia requested equipment including surface-to-air missiles to support its invasion of Ukraine,” per the Financial Times.
• A senior U.S. official told CNN the day before the meeting that Moscow asked Beijing for military assistance in Ukraine, including drones.
• Military food kits were among the assistance Russia reportedly requested. China has previously provided military supplies to Russia for other conflicts along its border, but not weapons.

All bets aside, Beijing’s rhetoric is still trying to “square a circle,” as the reports of Russian aid requests push China into an even more precarious position. Chinese authorities are emphasizing the importance of deescalating the ongoing conflict, but the weight of those words is yet to be seen:

• The spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the U.S., Liú Péngyǔ 刘鹏宇, called the situation in Ukraine “disconcerting” and added, “The high priority now is to prevent the tense situation from escalating or even getting out of control.”
• Yang released a statement today reiterating China’s position on Ukraine, namely that “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected” and that Beijing hopes the parties involved will “deescalate the situation as soon as possible.”
• However, since Beijing has already provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine, it would “have difficulty refusing similar support to Moscow,” per U.S. News.

Britain has also warned that China should not support Russia in its invasion of Ukraine, junior foreign office minister James Cleverly said on Tuesday, per Reuters.