Top Dem senator calls for 'consequences' if China supplies Russia with weapons to fight Ukraine

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., warned China against sending lethal subject assistance to help Russia conflict Ukraine, suggesting nan U.S. could respond by imposing sanctions connected nan Chinese government.

"China needs to cognize location will beryllium consequences," Cardin said during a "Fox News Sunday" interview. "We've isolated Russia economically. We tin do nan aforesaid point successful respect to sanctions against China."

Cardin's comments came aft aggregate reports said China is considering sending artillery shells to Russia arsenic nan Russian subject depletes its proviso of ammunition a twelvemonth into its penetration of Ukraine.

"China needs to understand that they request to beryllium connected nan correct broadside of history here," Cardin told Fox News big Shannon Bream. "China should beryllium pinch us."

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., appeared connected Fox News Sunday. (Fox News)

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The legislator referenced nan United Nations General Assembly approving a nonbinding solution connected Thursday, nan eve of nan first day of Russia's invasion, calling for Russia to extremity hostilities successful Ukraine and retreat its forces.

The solution passed 141-7, pinch 32 abstentions. China was 1 of nan countries that abstained from nan vote.

"China sat connected nan sidelines connected that vote," said Cardin. "That was wrong."

During nan interview, Cardin besides called China a "major threat," decrying nan Chinese authorities for not opinionated pinch astir of nan world against Russia's warfare successful Ukraine.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet astatine nan Shanghai Cooperation Organization acme successful Uzbekistan, Sept. 15, 2022. (Alexandr Demyanchuk, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

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"I do deliberation China is simply a awesome threat against nan United States," said Cardin. "They're encouraging this [Russia-Ukraine] warfare by moving pinch Russia, now possibly providing further weapons for Russia to beryllium capable to prosecute this warfare of aggression. This is an onslaught connected nan sovereignty of a antiauthoritarian state. There is nary mobility that Ukraine is nan beforehand line, but Russia will not extremity there. And China's assisting that."

China expressed anger this past week aft nan Biden management suggested that China was considering sending weapons and ammunition to Russia to thief its warfare against Ukraine, saying, "The U.S. is successful nary position to show China what to do."

"It is nan U.S. not China, that has been pouring weapons into nan battlefield," Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Wang Wenbin said. "The U.S. is successful nary position to show China what to do. We would ne'er guidelines for finger-pointing, aliases moreover coercion and pressurizing from nan U.S. connected our relations pinch Russia."

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A new Fox News canvass released connected Sunday recovered that 68% of Americans deliberation China is simply a "major threat" to nan U.S. and different 26% spot nan state arsenic a "minor" threat. Only 6% judge China poses nary threat to nan U.S.

"I'm pinch nan 68%," said Cardin.

Fox News' Peter Kasperowicz contributed reporting.