Russia has requested military assistance from China in Ukraine, US official says

[SouthBayDem]

Last edited Sun Mar 13, 2022, 09:23 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: CNN

Washington, DC (CNN)Russia has asked China for military assistance in Ukraine, including drones, as it continues its unprovoked invasion, a senior US official told CNN.
Potential assistance from the Chinese would be a significant development in Russia's invasion, and could upend the hold Ukrainian forces still have in the country.
When asked by CNN about the reporting of Russia's request for military aid, Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in the US, said in a statement, "I've never heard of that."

Liu expressed concern for "the Ukraine situation" -- calling it "indeed disconcerting" -- and said China has and will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/13/politics/jake-sullivan-meeting-chinese-counterpart-ukraine/index.html

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Sullivan was also on CNN's State of the Union weekly Sunday show. A transcript is here.

EDIT: Story updated as of 9:23 pm ET.

[Cha]

1. KR TY

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[yaesu]

2. Russia has asked China for military equipment since the start of the invasion

US officials say Russia has requested military equipment from China since the start of the invasion, according to the Financial Times. This has sparked fears in the White House that China may decide to help Russia and undermine Western efforts to aid Ukraine.

Another person told the FT that the “US was preparing to warn allies about the situation amid some indications that China may be preparing to help Russia.”

“Other US officials have also said there were signs that Russia was running out of some kinds of weaponry as the war in Ukraine approaches the start of its third week,” the FT report said.


The Guardian live feed

[thucythucy]

3. Interesting conundrum for China.

On the one hand, supporting Russia's attack on Ukraine might undermine the West's ability to maintain the military and political status quo in the Pacific.

On the other hand, a seriously weakened Russia in the west benefits the balance of power for China along the Manchuria/Siberia border.