Indications that China is contemplating lethal aid to Russia: Pentagon

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping. (Image: Sputnik: REUTERS/File)

There are indications that China is contemplating lethal aid to Russia in its war against Ukraine, the Pentagon said, joining the Biden Administration's chorus that there would be consequences to such a move by Beijing.

"There are indications that they are contemplating that. Again, I'm not going to have any further information in that regard or any additional intelligence to talk about beyond the fact that they haven't taken it off the table. And so, we want to be crystal-clear that that would be a poor decision, should they decide to do that," Brigadier General Pat Ryder, Pentagon Press Secretary, told reporters at a news conference.

This is something that the Pentagon is going to closely monitor, he said.

"Let's not forget about what the consequences are if they do. It will extend this conflict needlessly, it will result in more innocent lives lost as Russia continues to wage its campaign against Ukrainian citizens," he said.

Responding to a question, Ryder said, "If China were to provide aid, lethal aid" to Russia it would significantly or has the potential to significantly extend this conflict and again, support Russia's aim of eliminating Ukraine as a country.

Noting that ultimately that's a decision for China to make, Ryder said the question is does China as a nation want to put itself in the camp of those countries that are looking to eliminate Ukraine as a nation and kill innocent people or do they want to do what they say they are all about, which is respecting the sovereignty of all countries.