The EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell reportedly informed European nations of "convincing" evidence of Chinese production "of lethal aid" to Russia, ahead of an upcoming meeting of EU foreign ministers, the German media outlet Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) reported on Nov. 15, citing three EU officials.
The lethal aid in question reportedly refers to a Chinese firm's role in attack drone production for Russia in its war against Ukraine. Reuters reported on Sept. 25 citing European intelligence sources that Russia has secretly established a development and production program in China for attack drones to be used in the war.
"We have had reports from intelligence sources on the existence of a factory inside China producing drones which are shipped to Russia," a senior EU official told Politico on Nov. 15.
The official told Politico that the EU has yet to determine whether Beijing is aware of the firm's drone production. China's foreign ministry has previously denied knowledge of the project.
In a separate comment to FAZ, a EU diplomat acknowledged that while there is not any direct evidence to implicate Beijing in the drone production, the official said it was difficult "to imagine that something like this would happen and the Chinese government wouldn't know anything about it at all."
China has positioned itself as neutral in the Russia-Ukraine war but has simultaneously deepened economic ties with Moscow and backed the country against Western sanctions.
Beijing has also emerged as one of Russia's leading sources of dual-use goods that feed the Russian defense industry.
In an interview with ABC News aired on Sept. 24., President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia is using Chinese satellites to take pictures of Ukraine's nuclear facilities for possible future attacks.
Although it is unclear what concrete steps the EU will take in response to the reported drone production, implementing additional sanction may be on the table for the European bloc — including adding more Chinese companies to a list of firms facing EU sanctions, an EU diplomat told Politico.
U.S. President Joe Biden is also expected to discuss China's support for Russia on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit summit in Peru on Nov. 16.
According to the White House, Biden is expected to voice his "deep concern" regarding China's "support for Russia's war against Ukraine."
Abbey Fenbert
