The United States has issued stern warnings to China over reports that it is on the brink of providing attack drones and ammunition to Russia amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The Pentagon has stressed that such actions would cause needless suffering to the Ukrainian people and put China in the camp of countries looking to extinguish Ukraine as a nation.
While there are no new indications that China has provided lethal aid to Russia, the Defense Department has emphasized that China has not taken this option off the table. The Chinese Communist Party has released a 12-point political settlement, which includes calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine, but the U.S. government sees it as more for public consumption than as a foundation for peace.
In recent days, officials at the White House and departments of State and Defense have escalated their warnings to China against bolstering its partners in the Kremlin. If China were to provide weapons to Russia, it would prolong the conflict and cause needless suffering among innocent Ukrainians, says Pentagon spokesman Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder.
"Broadly speaking, what you would be seeing is a country like China, which clearly has advanced capabilities, munitions, et cetera – which, oh, by the way, has publicly declared neutrality – to now take a side and essentially say, ‘We want to be in the camp that’s looking to extinguish Ukraine as a nation," said Ryder.
China's consideration of weapons shipments to Russia represents a shift in its thinking. Although China had previously indicated to the U.S. that it was not interested in providing weapons to Russia, analysts believe that the threat of further massive Russian losses has contributed to shifting the thinking in Beijing.
In response, the U.S. announced a $2 billion package of new arms and support for Ukraine, including sophisticated weapons and its own attack drones. The U.S. and the international community have come to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression. As Ukraine marks one year since its invasion by Russia, the fear of a springtime offensive has reportedly already begun.
The U.S. government continues to urge China to respect the sovereignty of other countries and hopes that China's recent peace plan proposal is genuine. The situation remains fluid, and U.S. intelligence officials are closely monitoring China's movements.