Russia has requested military equipment from China since the invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, U.S. officials told The Washington Post and CNN on Sunday.
During an appearance Sunday on CNN's State of the Union, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told host Dana Bash that the U.S. is "watching closely to see the extent to which China actually does provide any form of support, material support, or economic support, to Russia. It is a concern of ours. And we have communicated to Beijing that we will not stand by and allow any country to compensate Russia for its losses from the economic sanctions." Sullivan is scheduled to meet with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi on Monday in Rome.
One senior U.S. official told CNN Russia has asked China for drones. In response, Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the United States, told CNN, "I've never heard of that. China is deeply concerned and grieved on the Ukraine situation. We sincerely hope that the situation will ease and peace will return at an early date." China, he added, has "provided Ukraine with humanitarian assistance, and will continue to do so."