US officials: Russia has asked China for military aid

According to US officials, Russia has asked China for military equipment to support its invasion of Ukraine. This has raised concerns in the White House that Beijing may undermine Western efforts to help Ukrainian forces defend their country.

US officials told the Financial Times that Russia has been requesting military equipment and other support since the invasion began. They declined to give details of what Russia had asked for.

Another person familiar with the situation said the US is preparing to warn its allies while there are signs China may be preparing to help Russia. Other US officials said there were signs Russia was running out of certain weapons in the third week of the war in Ukraine.

The White House made no comment.

Liu Pengyu, spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said he was not aware of any indication that China might be willing to help Russia.

"China is deeply concerned and saddened by the situation in Ukraine," Liu said. "We sincerely hope that the situation will ease and that peace will return soon.

The revelation comes as US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan travels to Rome on Monday for talks with China's top foreign policy leader Yang Jiechi.

Before leaving Washington on Sunday, Sullivan had warned China against "bailing out" Russia by helping Moscow circumvent sanctions imposed by the US and its allies on President Vladimir Putin and his regime.

"We will make sure that neither China nor anyone else can compensate Russia for these losses," Sullivan told NBC television on Sunday. "As for the specific actions, I will not announce it publicly, but we will announce it privately to China, as we have done and will continue to do."

The request for equipment and other unspecified military assistance came at a time when the Russian military is not making as much progress in Ukraine as Western intelligence agencies believe might be expected.

It also raises new questions about China-Russia relations, which have intensified as both countries express opposition to the US on everything from NATO to sanctions.

China has presented itself as a neutral actor in the Ukraine crisis and has refused to blame Russia for invading the country. The US has also seen no signs that President Xi Jinping is ready to pressure Putin.

Last month, the two heads of state signed a joint statement in Beijing, calling the Beijing-Moscow partnership "borderless," another sign that the two capitals are moving ever closer together.

Chris Johnson, a former senior CIA China analyst, said the Russian inquiry underscores that ties between Russia and China are at their highest since the Sino-Soviet split in the 1960s.

"But it also underscores China's position as a clear senior partner in the relationship," said Johnson, who heads political venture firm China Strategies Group.

"If China is even considering providing assistance, that speaks volumes about the personal nature of the relationship amid Chinese fears that Putin could be toppled and unleash chaos on the northern border not seen since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Separately, the White House said President Joe Biden discussed the war with French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday.

"They underscored their commitment to holding Russia accountable for its actions and to supporting the government and people of Ukraine," the White House said.