US ‘confident’ China considering providing lethal equipment to Russia, CIA director says

CIA Director William Burns said successful an question and reply group to aerial Sunday that nan United States is "confident" that China is considering providing lethal equipment to Russia to support Moscow’s warfare against Ukraine. 

"How assured are you successful nan intelligence that this is thing Xi Jinping himself whitethorn alteration his mind about?" CBS "Face nan Nation" big Margaret Brennan asked Burns successful a sit-down interview. 

"Well, we’re assured that nan Chinese activity is considering it, nan proviso of lethal equipment," Burns said. "We besides don’t spot that a last determination has been made yet. And we don’t spot grounds of existent shipments of lethal equipment. And that’s why I deliberation Secretary Blinken and nan president person thought it important to make very clear what nan consequences of that would be…"

"To deter it," Burns affirmed. "Because it would beryllium a very risky and unwise bet." 

CHINA EDGES CLOSER TO SENDING LETHAL AID TO RUSSIA AS UN VOTES TO CONDEMN INVASION OF UKRAINE: REPORT

CIA Director William Burns said Beijing has not made a last determination yet connected sending lethal instrumentality to Russia to support its warfare against Ukraine.  (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

"So why would Beijing consequence a tailspin successful its narration pinch nan United States and pinch Europe by crossing this line?" Brennan asked. 

"It’s a bully question, and that’s why I dream very overmuch that they don’t," Burns said.  

Burns recalled really he flew to Kyiv connected nan cusp of nan Russian invasion of Ukraine, informing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that nan astir caller intelligence suggested President Vladimir Putin was readying what "he thought would beryllium a lightning onslaught from nan Belarus separator to prehend Kyiv successful a matter of a fewer days, and besides to prehend an airdrome northwest of Kyiv called Gostomel, which he wanted to usage arsenic a level to bring successful airborne troops arsenic a way, again of accelerating that lightning conquest of Kyiv." 

"I do deliberation nan domiciled of intelligence successful this instance, while we’re capable to supply to President Zelenskyy not conscionable connected that trip, but passim nan people of nan war, person helped him take sides his state pinch specified courageousness and tenacity," Burns said. "I deliberation that made a publication early conscionable earlier nan warfare started."

Secretary of State Antony Blinken first sounded nan siren past play that US intelligence suggests China is considering sending lethal support to Russia. (RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)

Last weekend, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who met pinch China’s apical diplomat Wang Yi successful Munich, Germany, for nan first clip since nan Chinese surveillance balloon controversy, said nan U.S. has grounds Beijing is considering providing lethal support specified arsenic ammunition and weapons to Russia. 

"I work together pinch nan management for opening to expose what they person picked up, apt successful intelligence circles, that China is getting fresh to supply immoderate subject lethal assistance to Russia," Retired four-star Army Gen. Jack Keane likewise stated to "Fox News Sunday" past weekend. "And I deliberation coming retired and exposing — and I would spell further and show them — what we deliberation they are attempting to provide, China will propulsion back, likely, aft that nationalist exposure." 

President Biden has warned Beijing against sending lethal instrumentality to Russia.  (Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

At a briefing connected Monday, China’s overseas ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, countered that "it is nan U.S., not China, that has been pouring weapons into nan battlefield."

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"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," he said. "China will proceed to enactment patient connected nan broadside of bid and speech and play a constructive portion successful easing nan situation."