National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and CIA Director William J. Burns made the comments during separate appearances on the Sunday morning news show.
Sullivan said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that Washington would continue to send “a strong message” against military aid to Moscow “when they use their weapons to bomb cities, kill civilians and torture.” Have been.”
Such a move “would be a bad mistake,” Sullivan said, and China should take no part in it. But, he added, “At present, as far as we can understand, China has not stepped up. We haven’t seen them do that.”
Burns said on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” that US intelligence is “suggesting” that China is “considering” delivering lethal military equipment to Russia, corroborating previous news reports including from The Washington Post. But he added, “We also don’t see that a final decision has been made yet, and we don’t see evidence of actual shipments of lethal devices.”
Burns said it appears that Chinese President Xi Jinping He was shocked by the weaknesses of the Russian army, which was expected to conquer the Ukrainian capital in a matter of days after the previous year’s invasion, as well as by the concerted support shown by Western countries.
The solidarity, Burns said, was demonstrated in the willingness of the United States and European allies to “absorb a certain amount of economic cost in the interest of inflicting greater economic damage on Russia over time.” A coalition of nations has imposed economic sanctions against Russian businesses, Russian oligarchs, and companies doing business inside Russia.
“I think all of these things have calmed Xi Jinping to some extent,” Burns said.
Burns also said that Russia is not ‘serious’ about engaging in diplomatic talks. Burns said Russian President Vladimir Putin believes Americans have “attention-deficit disorder” and will eventually stop caring about Ukraine, which is helping to fuel his conviction. That he can wait for the western alliance.
CIA director said The posture came to the fore in his meeting with Russian spy chief Sergei Naryshkin three months earlier, who expressed a “very defiant attitude” and a “sense of arrogance”.
It reflects “Putin’s own vision, his own belief today, that he can let time work for him, that he believes he can grind down Ukrainians, that he can undermine our European allies”. , that eventually political fatigue would set in.”
Still, Putin’s defiance and his military’s focus on alliances with strategic partners have many members of Congress worried.
Michael McCaul (R-Tex.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said during an appearance on ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday that intelligence reports suggested China could be considering sending 100 drones to Russia.
McCall said such talk is “very troubling” because “although it may be Ukraine today, it is going to be Taiwan tomorrow,” referring to the island whose sovereignty is not recognized by China and which There is also a major manufacturer of semiconductors which is important for it. Global Economy.
Concern over China’s aggressive posturing grew after US authorities shot down a Chinese spy balloon this month after it passed over the continental United States; US officials said the balloon was part of a larger international surveillance program on China.
McCall continued, “I haven’t seen anything like this since World War II, my father’s generation.”
“We can’t bury our heads in the sand and ignore this,” McCall said. “Otherwise, the Russians will be on the Polish border and Chairman Xi will invade Taiwan.”