Russia asks China for military equipment

Russia has asked China for military equipment since its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, the Financial Times and Washington Post reported on Sunday, citing U.S. officials.

U.S. National Security advisor Jake Sullivan will be in Rome on Monday to meet with China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi, the White House said earlier.

Sullivan plans in his meeting with Yang to make Washington’s concerns clear while mapping out the consequences and growing isolation China would face globally if it increases its support of Russia, one U.S. official said, without providing details.

China would “absolutely” face consequences if it helped Moscow evade sweeping sanctions over the war in Ukraine”, Sullivan threatened.

Asked about Russia’s request for military aid, first reported by the Financial Times, Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for China’s embassy in Washington, said: “I’ve never heard of that.”

Russia, which calls its action in Ukraine a “special operation,” and China have tightened cooperation as they have come under strong Western pressure over human rights and a raft of other issues.

Beijing has not condemned Russia’s attack and does not call it an invasion, but has urged a negotiated solution.

The White House’s National Security Council declined to comment.

The Washington Post said the unidentified U.S. officials did not state the kind of weaponry that had been requested or how China had responded.