On June 14, 2024, President Biden of the United States stated that China’s provision of the capability and technology to produce weapons to Russia is effectively assisting Russia.
During a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Zelensky at the G7 summit in Italy on Thursday, June 13, Biden made the aforementioned remarks.
When asked by reporters about Beijing’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and rumors of assisting Russia with weapons, Zelensky replied in English, “I spoke with the Chinese leadership. He said he would not sell any weapons to Russia.”
“We will see if he is a man of his word or not, because he assured me of that,” Zelensky said with a shrug.
Zelensky also mentioned that if Beijing shares the same view on peace in Ukraine as Kyiv, then they can engage in dialogue.
Ukraine previously revealed that Beijing is pressuring other countries and their leaders to prevent them from participating in the upcoming Ukraine Security Summit in Switzerland.
After Zelensky finished speaking, Biden added, “By the way, the weapons provided by China (Chinese Communist Party) are not actual weapons, but it’s the capability to produce them and the technology to manufacture these weapons, so they are effectively helping Russia.”
Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict over two years ago, Xi Jinping has met with Russian President Putin four times, but has never met with Zelensky, only agreeing to a phone call in April 2023. This was the only conversation since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions on over 300 global entities and individuals aiding Russia, including suppliers and middlemen from China and Hong Kong selling semiconductors, IT products, and laser products to Russia to further weaken Russia’s military equipment for waging war on Ukraine.
Additionally, the Treasury Department significantly expanded secondary sanctions on Russia, stating that any foreign financial institutions engaging in transactions with sanctioned Russian entities will be considered as directly cooperating with Russia’s military-industrial base.
The State Department also imposed sanctions on about 100 entities, including companies involved in developing Russia’s future energy, metal, and mining production and export capabilities.
The Commerce Department announced a series of restrictions, banning exports of U.S. products to certain addresses in Hong Kong, which the U.S. alleges are being used to establish shell companies to transport prohibited goods to Russia.
During the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on June 2, Zelensky unusually stated that Ukrainian intelligence had found evidence that some Russian weapons contain Chinese components.
Zelensky warned that Beijing’s support for Russia would prolong the war, which is detrimental to the world and also to China, which claims to support sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“Regrettably, Russia is using China’s influence in the region, exploiting Chinese diplomats, and using every means to disrupt peace summits. It’s unfortunate that a big and powerful nation like China has become a tool in the hands of Russian President Putin,” he said.
Since the 1990s, Ukrainian defense industry enterprises and talent have assisted China in developing military capabilities, with joint projects including the Liaoning aircraft carrier, large warship engines, aerial refueling aircraft, shipborne fighter jets, missiles, and more. Some projects involved providing design drawings and expert technical support, indicating a close economic and trade relationship between the two countries.
Even though Western countries have openly criticized China for covertly supporting Russia and helping Putin evade Western sanctions, Zelensky had mostly remained silent on this issue.
Earlier that day, Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe stated in his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue that in the Ukraine crisis, China does not provide weapons to either side of the conflict and is controlling the export of dual-use materials.