US diplomacy chief Antony Blinken warned on Sunday that China was considering sending weapons to Russia for its war against Ukraine, warning Beijing that any supplies “would cause serious problems”.
“The concern we have now is based on information we have that they are considering providing lethal support” to Moscow for use in its invasion of Ukraine, Blinken told CBS.
When asked what this kind of support would involve, the Secretary of State replied, “Everything from ammunition to the weapons themselves.”
Blinken made similar remarks in a series of interviews on US television from Germany, where he attended the Munich Security Conference on Saturday and met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, an exchange US diplomats described as “frank and direct.” .
Warning
The US secretary of state has warned him of the “implications and consequences” for China if it is found to be providing “material support” to Russia in Ukraine or helping it evade Western sanctions for its invasion, the US Department spokesman said. State Ned. report of the bilateral interview.
Taken together, the US comments appeared to be between still the clearest warnings that China is ready to go beyond rhetorical, political or diplomatic support for Russia and help it with weapons for its war in Ukraine, which is about to turn one year old.
Speaking to ABC on Sunday, Blinken stressed that US President Joe Biden warned his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping as early as last March not to send arms to Russia.
Since then, “China has been careful not to cross that line, including delaying the sale of lethal weapons systems for use on the battlefield,” according to a Biden administration source familiar with the matter.
“Nuclear Maneuvers”
In the midst of rising tension, and as Ukraine prepares for a fierce Russian offensive, Ukraine’s intelligence services have warned that Moscow is preparing to carry out “large-scale exercises of strategic nuclear forces” as “blackmail” on the eve of US President Joe Biden’s visit to Poland.
The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry (GUR) announced that it confirmed that Moscow is preparing components of its nuclear forces to conduct maneuvers involving the launch of ballistic and cruise missiles.
In preparation for these exercises, the operation of the centralized combat control system of the Russian armed forces was tested and, as part of this test, nuclear forces were placed on maximum combat alert levels, the GUR said in its declaration.
According to the Ukrainian intelligence services, the decision to carry out these maneuvers is part of a attempt to “obstruct” Biden’s European visitwho will land this Monday in Warsaw on a voyage that coincides with the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which falls on Friday the 24th.
Moscow’s strategy calls for the use of “direct nuclear blackmail” to “weaken international support for Ukraine,” they concluded.
The GUR’s warning comes days after the Norwegian Defense Ministry’s annual report raised the possibility that Russia has transferred some of its nuclear capabilities to its Northern Fleet ships and submarines.
Source: EFE and AFP
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.