{O/C} The U.S. National Security Adviser to President Joe Biden said today Russia has seeked materiel from China for its invasion of Ukraine.
This comes as a fourth round of talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials are set to be held to try to call a halt to the crisis.
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On Sunday news shows with two U.S. officials in America, the White House national security adviser said he suspects Russia has been banking on military aid from China to further invade Ukraine.
The Biden administration is also accusing China of purposely amplifying Russian disinformation that could be a pretext for a chemical attack.
This, as Jake Sullivan warned China not to light another touchpaper, which could further aggravate Sino-U.S. relations.
While he stopped short of confronting China, he burst Beijing's bubble, warning of severe consequences, should Beijing help Moscow make up for the losses.
In his upcoming talks with senior Chinese foreign policy adviser Yang Jiechi on Monday in Rome, Sullivan will certainly be looking for the extent to which Beijing will assist Moscow.
He also indicated a Russian chemical attack is par for the course.
{Soundbite} JAKE SULLIVAN, U.S. National Security Advisor: There is an escalating level of rhetoric on the Russian side trying to accuse the Ukrainians and the United States of potentially using chemical and biological weapons. And that's a tale. That's an indicator that, in fact, the Russians are getting ready to do it, and try and pin the blame elsewhere. And nobody should fall for that.
In a contradictory statement, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in the United States said there was nothing like that.
And in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the purpose of that Monday meeting in Rome is to iron out differences and implement the important consensus reached by Presidents Xi Jinping and Biden in their November virtual summit.
Treading a tightrope, India is trying to stay aloof amid the ceaseless Ukraine war.
This, given 60 percent of India's defense equipment is supplied by Russia.
And U.S. President Joe Biden cited the differences between the U.S. and India after India abstained from voting on United Nations resolutions condemning the Russian assault on Ukraine.
Meantime, on the diplomatic front, a fourth round of negotiations are due to be held via video conference later today on discussions about humanitarian assistance.
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