US has told allies that China is open to providing financial, military aid to Russia

The United States told European and Asian allies in a diplomatic cable that China has expressed some willingness to provide financial and military aid to Russia, CNN reported, citing a U.S. diplomat and Western official.

Two sources familiar told the network Russia asked for ready-to-eat meals, known as MREs, among other assistance, though CNN noted the cable did not definitely say whether China had provided assistance to Russia.

One of the sources told CNN China’s leaders are not aligned on how to respond to requests from Russia. 

State Department spokesman Ned Price said during a briefing with reporters on Monday that White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Dan Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, had met with Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi in Rome on Monday.

Price said that the U.S. delegation “raised directly and very clearly our concerns about the PRC’s support to Russia in the wake of the invasion, and the implications that any such support would have for the PRC’s relationship not only with us, but for its relationships around the world.”

Asked specifically about a reported U.S. diplomatic cable that indicated a willingness by China to help Russia, Price said that the U.S. had been coordinating with allies. 

“The point is it is true: We have coordinated very closely with our allies and partners. We have shared concerns not only about, of course, Russia’s egregious behavior, but concerns beyond that. I’m just not in a position to speak to it in detail,” Price said.

Sullivan conveyed during his meeting that China would suffer “significant consequences” should it provide military or other support to Russia that “violates sanctions or supports the war effort,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

In a readout following the meeting in Rome between the U.S. and China, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said “Yang Jiechi stressed that China firmly opposes any words and deeds that spread disinformation and distort and smear China’s position.”

The Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., referred The Hill back to foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian’s remarks during a press conference on Monday.

“Recently, the US has been maliciously spreading disinformation targeting China. China’s position on the Ukraine issue is consistent and clear. We have been playing a constructive part in promoting peace talks,” he said.

“The top priority at the moment is for all parties to exercise restraint, cool the situation down instead of adding fuel to the fire, and work for diplomatic settlement rather than further escalate the situation.”

The Hill has reached out to the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., for comment. 

Updated at 1:01 p.m.