Europe’s high diplomat mentioned the West must be vigilant with regards to help for Russia from China, after U.S. officers warned that Beijing may very well be about to ship deadly weapons to Moscow.

China’s position in worldwide politics within the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine final yr has been a very delicate one for western nations.

The CIA Director Invoice Burns instructed CBS Information final week that he’s assured China is contemplating offering deadly help to Moscow. This might spark a serious escalation within the battle, giving Russia’s struggling navy a major enhance.

“China has all the time instructed us they don’t seem to be offering arms to Russia and so they do not plan to do it, very a lot explicitly,” Josep Borrell, the EU’s Excessive Consultant for International Affairs, instructed CNBC Friday. “However definitely, we now have to stay vigilant.”

His feedback got here on the finish of a G-20 overseas affairs assembly in India which was marked by a stark division of opinions towards Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“There’s a large divide, and Russia will proceed the battle,” he added.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met his Russian counterpart briefly on the sidelines of the G-20 gathering, in what represented their first in-person contact for the reason that invasion began greater than a yr in the past. Blinken had beforehand instructed NBC that there’s info that China is “strongly contemplating offering deadly help to Russia.”

In the meantime, Jake Sullivan, the White Home nationwide safety adviser, mentioned final week that if Beijing does present deadly weapons to Ukraine, it “will come at actual prices to China.”

To date, China has not categorically denied the accusations.

At a press briefing Friday, Mao Ning, spokesperson for China’s International Ministry, mentioned the nation had made its place clear.

“On the Ukraine challenge, China’s place has all alongside been goal and truthful. We’re dedicated to selling talks for peace and dealing for the political settlement of the disaster,” she mentioned.

“The U.S. has been pouring deadly weapons into the battlefield in Ukraine and heightening tensions, whereas spreading false and malign accusations towards China. We don’t settle for coercion or stress from the U.S. What the U.S. ought to do is facilitate de-escalation and promote talks for peace reasonably than gasoline the flame or level fingers at different international locations.”

China introduced in February a 12-point plan to finish the battle in Ukraine. Authorities in Kyiv have mentioned they’re open to contemplating a few of these factors, but additionally reiterated that any peace accord must contain the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.