US intelligence claimed Russia has requested Chinese military and economic aid
(Picture: AP)Russia has asked China for economic and military aid, US intelligence officials have said.
US intelligence officials said military support, including drones, had been requested by the Kremlin, CNN reports.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson rejected the reports and labelled the US claim as “misinformation”.
Russian finance minister Aton Siluanov also said the US was attempting to “limit mutual trade” with China. He said in an interview: “We have part of our gold and foreign exchange reserves in the Chinese currency, in yuan.
“And we see what pressure is being exerted by Western countries on China in order to limit mutual trade with China.”
US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said it would not allow “any country to compensate” Russia for its invasion.
Mr Sullivan said: “We also are watching closely to see the extent to which China actually does provide any form of support, material support or economic support, to Russia.
“It is a concern of ours. And we have communicated to Beijing that we will not stand by and allow any country to compensate Russia for its losses from the economic sanctions.”
Wang Yi, the foreign minister, used the word on Thursday in remarks reported by state media.
“We hope to see fighting and the war stop as soon as possible,” he said in a call with Jean-Yves Le Drian, his French counterpart.
At the outset of the invasion, China abstained from voting on a UN Security Council draft resolution to stop the war and to withdraw all troops.
Beijing has also claimed it supports Ukraine’s defence of its own sovereignty.
Chinese and US officials will meet in Rome on Monday, including Mr Sullivan and his counterpart Yang Jiechi.
