US, Chinese officials to meet in Rome over Russia-Ukraine war

Chinese and U.S. officials will meet in Rome on Monday to discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its impact on global security.

“On Monday, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and officials from the National Security Council and State Department will be in Rome. Sullivan will meet with Chinese Communist Party Politburo Member and Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission Yang Jiechi as part of our ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication between the United States and the People’s Republic of China (PRC),” National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said in a statement.

“The two sides will discuss ongoing efforts to manage the competition between our two countries and discuss the impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine on regional and global security,” she added.

While in Rome, Sullivan will also meet with Luigi Mattiolo, diplomatic advisor to Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, to discuss “coordinating a strong, united international response to President Putin’s war of choice.”

Since Russia’s attack on Ukraine, calls have grown for China to act as a mediator between the West and Moscow, one of Beijing’s closest allies. China has so far refrained from condemning Russia’s actions, instead calling for both parties in the conflict to practice restraint.

In light of the severe sanctions that have been issued against Russia by Western governments, there has been speculation that China will step up to aid Russia’s economy. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Sunday warned that there would be consequences for countries that seek to help Russia counteract the effects of the economic sanctions.

“We have made it clear to not just Beijing, but every country in the world, that if they think that they can basically bail Russia out, they can give Russia a workaround to the sanctions that we’ve imposed, they should have another thing coming, because we will ensure that neither China, nor anyone else, can compensate Russia for these losses,” Sullivan said while appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”