The Power Within: The Kyiv Independent’s first-ever magazine. Be among the first to get it.

pre-order now
Skip to content
Edit post

Congress urges White House to disclose whether Russia is sharing insight on US weapons with China

by Dmytro Basmat July 16, 2024 4:59 AM 2 min read
Photo for illustrative purposes: China's President Xi Jinping is welcomed by his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin (R) during the opening ceremony of "The Year of Chinese Tourism in Russia" in Moscow, on March 22, 2013. (Sergei Ilnitsky/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
This audio is created with AI assistance

A bipartisan congressional committee urged the White House on July 15 to reveal whether Russia is sharing insights on U.S. weapons used on the front lines in Ukraine with China, Reuters reported.

Lawmakers on the House of Representative's select committee on China delivered a letter to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan questioning whether Moscow had shared any "lessons-learned" with Beijing, insisting that any information Russia has gained on the battlefield in Ukraine would be "likely to proliferate" to China, according to the letter seen by Reuters.

Although China officially maintains a neutral stance on Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine and denies providing lethal aid, Beijing and Moscow continue to strengthen their ties.

Various countries, including the United States, have accused China of continuously aiding Russia's war machine in Ukraine by providing machine tools, weapons technology, satellite imagery, semiconductors, and other dual-use technologies.

"We should anticipate and indeed operate under the assumption that Russia is passing information about vulnerabilities or counters to American and allied weapons systems to (China)," House Republican committee chair John Moolenaar and ranking Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi wrote.

Earlier this month, unnamed European officials alleged that Chinese companies are developing attack drones similar to the Iranian-produced Shahed-type drone to aid Russia in its war against Ukraine, according to Bloomberg.

On July 14, China's Defense Ministry announced that the country had began joint naval drills with Russia at a military point in Zhanjiang.

The drills began days after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on July 11 that alliance members agree that China is a "decisive enabler" of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine - a notion that Beijing immediately rejected.

The White House National Security Council has not yet responded to Reuters' request for comment on the letter.

In April, the U.S. finalized a $61 billion in aid to Ukraine - of which eight package have thus far been approved by President Joe Biden.

China, Russia begin joint military drills
The news comes days after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on July 11 said that China is a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

News Feed

5:15 PM

Alexander Vindman: Trump repeats past US mistakes with Russia.

Alexander Vindman served as the director of European affairs for the United States National Security Council in 2018-2020, during U.S. President Donald Trump's first administration. The Kyiv Independent's Kate Tsurkan sits down with Vindman to discuss how Washington has historically misjudged Russia, "succumbing to hopes and fears," and why there is no real prospect of peace between Ukraine and Russia now.
12:24 PM

Ukraine receives $400 million tranche from IMF.

The funds represent the latest tranche of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program, which will provide Kyiv with $15.6 billion in budget support over four years. With the additional $400 million in funding, the program has now distributed $10.1 billion in financing to Ukraine.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.