US: China Will Face Consequences If It Helps Russia Invade Sanctions

By Staff, Agencies

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan warned Beijing that it would "absolutely" face consequences if it helped Moscow evade sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine.

Sullivan is meeting with China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi in Rome on Monday.

He told CNN News on Sunday that the United States believes China was aware that Russia was planning some action in Ukraine before the invasion, although Beijing may not have understood the full extent of the plans.

Washington is now watching closely to see how Beijing provides economic or material support to Russia and will impose consequences if that occurs.

"We are communicating directly, privately to Beijing, that there will absolutely be consequences for large-scale sanctions evasion efforts or support to Russia to backfill them," Sullivan said.

"We will not allow that to go forward and allow there to be a lifeline to Russia from these economic sanctions from any country, anywhere in the world."

Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its impact on regional and global security will be a "significant topic" during Sullivan's meeting with Yang, a senior Biden administration official said, given China's moves to align "itself with Russia to advance their own vision of the world order."

The meeting is part of a broader effort by Washington and Beijing to maintain open channels of communication and manage competition between the world's two largest economies, the official said.