Ukraine war: US will implore Europe to help keep Chinese supplies from reaching Russian military
- Trade between China and Russia surged to a record US$240 billion in 2023, an increase of over 64 per cent since 2021, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
- ‘The Kremlin knows it can only meet its military goals with China’s assistance,’ the US deputy Treasury secretary will tell European allies and industry leaders
A senior US government official is set to urge European allies and industry leaders to take steps to prevent Russia from obtaining defence supplies from China that could substantially enhance its military operations against Ukraine.
On Friday, US deputy Treasury secretary Wally Adeyemo will tell German business leaders in Berlin that the US and Europe “must make the choice stark for China”.
“Chinese firms can either do business in our economies or they can equip Russia’s war machine with dual-use goods. They cannot do both,” he will say, according to excerpts released by the US Treasury Department on Thursday.
“The Kremlin knows it can only meet its military goals with China’s assistance.”
Adeyemo will highlight Washington’s efforts to ensure US semiconductor manufacturers are vigilant in overseeing the use of their chips and preventing “transshipment” via third countries like China, saying that “every country in our coalition and every member of Nato must also consistently and clearly communicate to Beijing that it is unacceptable for the Chinese to abet the Russian military-industrial base”.
According to data from China’s customs department, trade between China and Russia surged to a record US$240 billion in 2023, an increase of over 64 per cent since 2021, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
