China Contemplating Lethal Aid To Russia, Says Pentagon. Warns Of Consequences

Ryder said that there was a potential for this conflict to significantly extend and support Russia’s aim at eliminating Ukraine as a country "if China were to provide aid, lethal aid". 

The Pentagon said that China was contemplating lethal aid to Russia. (Representational Image)

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There were indications that China has been contemplating lethal aid to Russia in its war against Ukraine, said the Pentagon, joining the Biden Administration’s chorus that such a move by Beijing would bear consequences, reported news agency PTI. 

"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.

We have not seen that they've done that at this point. But, again, it's something that we'll continue to closely monitor, he added.

"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.

Ryder said that there was a potential for this conflict to significantly extend and support Russia’s aim at eliminating Ukraine as a country "if China were to provide aid, lethal aid". 

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.

In a statement on Wednesday, the US officials urged China not to ship arms to Russia. 

"President Joe Biden, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have spoken in the past few days about discouraging China from supplying the Russian war machine. The latest administration official to speak on this subject was Colin H. Kahl, undersecretary of defense for policy, who testified before the House Armed Services Committee today," said the US Department of Defense.