NEW: White House seeks to tamp down its rhetoric about China possibly providing Russia with lethal aid for use in Ukraine, an effort aimed at reducing heightened tensions particularly ahead of President Xi's upcoming meeting with President Putin.
for use in Ukraine, an effort aimed at reducing heightened tensions particularly ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to four current administration officials and three former officials.
Part of the White House’s strategy of trying to tone down the rhetoric about China’s consideration of weapons for Russia includes a decision by senior officials — after some internal debate — not to publicly disclose the intelligence the U.S. says it has to back up that claim, officials said.
Yet when asked more recently about a possible U.S. response if China supplies Russia with weapons for Ukraine, Kirby said: “I just don’t think it’s helpful right now to hypothesize about what consequences might result.” Officials said the administration still hopes to repair months of deeply strained relations, which reached further lows last month with China flying a spy balloon across the U.S., and the U.S. then accusing China of considering sending weapons to Russia.
Kirby also said in advance of Putin and Xi’s meeting that any proposal from China for ending the Ukraine war that comes out of those talks should be met with skepticism, calling the 12-point plan Beijing recently put forward"one sided" in that it benefits Moscow.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
White House accuses House Republicans of playing ‘partisan games’ with Texas border field hearingThe White House on Wednesday accused Republicans of playing 'partisan' games with a hearing on border security in McAllen, Texas -- while calling for more funding.
Read more »
Trump White House failed to report 117 foreign gifts and some are missing, House Democrats sayThe White House under former President Trump failed to report more than 100 gifts given to him and his family by foreign governments during his time in office, and some of those gifts remain missing, according to a new report.
Read more »
White House hopes Biden's relationship with Xi can defuse U.S.-China tensionsPresident Biden's relationship with President Xi dates back to when they were both vice presidents, giving Biden potential insight into the intentions and motivations of China's leader.
Read more »
White House calls for China’s Xi to talk with Ukraine’s ZelenskyThe Biden administration hopes that Chinese President Xi Jinping will reach out to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky directly because it’s important...
Read more »
White House defends Dobbs response ahead of 'devastating' abortion case in TexasThe White House bristled at criticism regarding its response to the Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision as a federal judge in Texas is poised to remove a major abortion pill from the market or limit its availability.
Read more »
Jack White Weighs in on That Meg White Drumming ControversyJack White responds after a writer called Meg White’s drumming a “tragedy'
Read more »