US warns it will hold China accountable if Russia makes advances in Ukraine

Washington:

The United States warned on Tuesday it would hold China accountable if Moscow made advances in Ukraine, after Beijing reiterated its commitment to cooperation during a visit by Russia’s top diplomat.

Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, who has long been involved in the adjustment of U.S. policy in Asia, said that for the United States, maintaining peace and stability in Europe is “the most important mission in our history.”

As Moscow renews its offensive against Ukraine as the US Congress deadlocks over approving more weapons to Ukraine, Campbell warned that Russia’s territorial expansion could “change the balance of power in Europe in a frankly unacceptable way” “.

“We have told China directly that if this continues, there will be consequences for the U.S.-China relationship. We are not going to sit back and say everything is fine,” Campbell said.

“We will not view this as just a series of activities unique to Russia, but as a series of joint activities supported by China and North Korea. It is contrary to our interests,” he told the National Council on U.S.-China Relations, an educational group.

Campbell was responding to a question about Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s visit to China on Tuesday, where President Xi Jinping told him Beijing was prepared to step up coordination.

Campbell said President Joe Biden’s administration had warned Chinese officials ahead of intelligence that Russian President Vladimir Putin would order an invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“I’m not sure if they fully believed us or thought it might be a small thing rather than a full-scale action and push,” Campbell said.

Campbell said China was alarmed by Russia’s early setbacks and was working to rebuild “various capabilities” for Moscow.

“Initially, it was a defensive effort. They didn’t want to see regime change,” Campbell said.

But more than two years later, “Russia has almost completely regrouped and they now pose a significant threat to Ukraine (and) the surrounding region,” Campbell said.

The United States has repeatedly threatened to impose sanctions on China if it takes more substantive actions to support Russia.

U.S. officials say Russia is increasingly looking to heavily sanctioned North Korea and Iran for weapons to fuel its war in Ukraine.

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