Russia was reportedly seeking weapons and economic aid from China for Ukraine

Russia has reportedly approached China to solicit military equipment and economic aid in support of its invasion of Ukraine — a development that comes as the White House national security adviser meets with his Chinese counterpart in Rome to discuss the to discuss war.

Russia was looking for military gear to boost its attack on Ukraine as the country runs out of supplies, US officials said Washington Post.

Officials did not specify what type of weapons Moscow had requested or how China responded.

But National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan who is Meeting with China’s top foreign policy adviser Yang Jiechi said Monday the US had informed Beijing that “there will absolutely be consequences for large-scale sanctions, circumvention efforts, or supporting Russia to top it up.”

“We will not allow this to proceed and allow Russia to receive a lifeline from these economic sanctions from any country, anywhere in the world,” Sullivan said Sunday CNN’s State of the Union.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian acknowledged that Ukraine will “definitely be a hot topic” at talks in Rome on Monday, but accused the US of spreading false claims.

“Recently, the US side on the Ukraine issue has been spreading disinformation against China with sinister intentions,” Lijian told reporters.

“China’s position on the Ukraine issue is consistent and clear, and we have played a constructive role in promoting peace talks. It is imperative for all involved to exercise restraint and cool down tensions rather than adding fuel to the fire; It is important to push for a diplomatic solution rather than further escalating the situation,” he said.

China buys weapons from Russia, including fighter jets and surface-to-air missile systems, but it’s a two-way street.

“As far as I know, China does not sell weapons systems to Russia,” said Taylor Fravel, a professor specializing in Chinese defense at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Washington Post.

“In other words, Russia has enabled China’s military modernization, but China hasn’t contributed much to the development of Russia’s armed forces so far, apart from profits from Russian arms sales, which can be reinvested to improve Russian capabilities,” he said.

A month after President Vladimir Putin’s appearance winter Olympics with China’s Xi Jinping and the two leaders touting their “unwavering” commitment and condemning NATO expansion in Europe, Beijing has described its relationship with Moscow as a “strategic partner.”

China also condemned the invasion of Ukraine and said it would work to bring one about Armistice.

The communist-ruled country is caught between an alliance with Russia and the reality of losing key trading partners in the US and Europe.

With mail wires