Did Russia run out of weapons? as Russia Asks China For Weapons
3 min read
Photographer: Alexei Druzhinin/AFP/Getty Images
Chinese officials informed U.S. officials that Russian President Vladimir V. Putin requested military equipment and assistance with the war in Ukraine.
Officials from Russia and China have asked for greater economic assistance from each other to help counter the damage to their economies. They have suffered from extensive economic sanctions imposed by the U.S., Europe, and Asia.
The American officials refused to describe the kinds of weapons or aid that Moscow is looking for, determined to keep secret their methods of gathering intelligence on Russian requests. In addition, officials declined to speculate about Beijing’s responses to Russian demands.
Mr. Xi Jinping and Mr. Putin have strengthened their partnership
As Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine escalates and destroys cities and kills hundreds of thousands of civilians, the President of China, Xi Jinping, has strengthened a partnership with Vladimir Putin. China is closely watched by American officials to find out whether it will provide any assistance to Russia.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan will meet with Yang Jiechi, the president of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Foreign Affairs Commission and a member of its Politburo.
We won’t allow a lifeline to Russia going forward through any of these economic sanctions, no matter where they may come from,” he said.
Mr.Sullivan didn’t make any specific mention of China’s potential military support, but another U.S. official described the Russian request on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of a diplomatic and intelligence matter.
Russian officials have not requested assistance from the Chinese Embassy in Washington, according to Liu Pengyu, the embassy’s spokesman. Adding that Beijing wishes to see a peaceful resolution in Ukraine, he said, “the current situation in Ukraine is indeed troubling.”
Biden administration seeks to lay out a plan for China
According to the Biden administration, China is being warned about the repercussions of its alignment with Russia, as well as the penalties it will face if it continues or increases its support. It might be possible to discourage Beijing from stepping up its assistance to Moscow, according to some U.S. officials.
Some U.S. officials say Chinese leaders may be content to provide rhetorical support to Moscow and do not wish to entanglement themselves in a military conflict with Mr.Putin.
The Chinese may not have known all the extent of Vladimir Putin’s plans, according to Mr. Sullivan, who said they knew Putin planned to invade before the invasion took place. Putin might have lied to them the same way he lied to the Europeans and other nations, he said.
Russia has sold military equipment to China
It is traditional for China to purchase military equipment from Russia rather than vice versa. In recent years, Russian weapons sales to China have increased significantly. In the event that Russia decides to invade Ukraine, China may be able to use advanced missiles and drones.
Even though Russian missiles struck a military training area in western Ukraine on Sunday, killing at least 35 people, independent analysts have noticed a low supply of Russian missiles.
American officials say Russia’s efforts are an indicator of the strategic and tactical problems that the country’s commanders face, although it is unclear how many recruits Moscow has enlisted or if they have arrived in Ukraine.
Ankita Khanrah
Ankita Khanrah is a second-year student of the Master of Communication and Journalism (Integrated) programme at the School of Mass Communication, KIIT Deemed University, Bhubaneswar.
