Russia has called on China to support it war against Ukraine, according to two US officials. The request included military aid and equipment, but it is not clear what Moscow has specifically requested.
Nearly three weeks after its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has fallen far short of the progress planned by Russian leaders, according to defense and intelligence officials. CIA Director William Burns told Congress last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin had “seized Kyiv for the first two days of the campaign.”
U.S. officials say Russia’s casualties range from 5,000 to 9,000 in action.
At this point, the Kremlin is committed 100% of the more than 150,000 soldiers it had previously settled around the borders of Ukraine before its invasion. Despite the high numbers, the Russian advance in Kyiv from three different directions has slowly advanced towards the capital of Ukraine, with days when troops remain stagnant and target for the Ukrainians.
The slow progress may have led to Russia’s request for help from China.
According to a recent report by the Chinese Pentagon, China’s military purchases from Russia include fighter jets and surface-to-air missiles, and it has participated in training exercises in Russia with Russian equipment.
China has denied that Russia has requested military aid for its war in Ukraine.
“The United States has been maliciously spreading misinformation aimed at China,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in response to the report. “China’s position on the Ukraine issue is consistent and clear. We have played a constructive role in promoting peace talks.”
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov also denied the report, telling reporters that Moscow has the capacity to continue a special military operation independently in Ukraine and that it has not asked China for help.
“No,” Peskov told reporters when asked if it was true that Russia had asked China for military aid. “Russia has independent potential to continue the operation and, as we have said, it is developing as planned and will be completed on time and in full,” he said.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan will travel to Rome on Monday for a meeting with Chinese Communist Party Politburo member and director of Foreign Affairs Bureau Yang Jiechi’s office. The meeting was described by the National Security Council as part of ongoing efforts to keep lines of communication open between countries.
A Pentagon official said Monday that if China decides to give material support to Russia in the war, the Chinese are likely to face the consequences.
Mary Ilyushina and Camilla Schick contributed to this report.
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