At the weekend, the United States announced that Washington is convinced that Beijing is considering supplying arms to Russia. So far, however, there have been no signs of this in Kiev.
The Ukrainian secret service chief Kyrylo Budanov currently sees no signs of possible Chinese arms deliveries to Russia. “Right now, I don’t think China will agree to transfer arms to Russia,” he told US radio station Voice of America. “I don’t see any signs that things like this are even being discussed.”
When asked about US allegations that China was considering arms sales to Russia, Budanov said: “I do not share this opinion.” Asked about possible other supporters of Moscow, the Ukrainian intelligence chief added: “Almost the only country that is currently supplying weapons more or less seriously is Iran.” According to “Voice of America”, the interview was conducted in Ukrainian last Saturday.
US intelligence chief William Burns said over the weekend that Washington was “convinced” Beijing was considering supplying arms to Russia for the Ukraine war. According to a Wall Street Journal report, China is considering supplying drones and ammunition to Russia. Beijing has so far denied plans to sell arms to Russia. Burns said that both Secretary of State Antony Blinken and President Biden “thought it was important to make it very clear what the consequences would be.”
Biden said last Friday that he did not expect major arms deliveries from Beijing to Moscow. Blinken, on the other hand, said a week ago that Washington was concerned that China was “considering providing lethal support” to Moscow in the Ukraine war.
