US President Joe Biden claims that he told Chinese President Xi Jinping that it would be a “gigantic mistake” to lift the sanctions put in place against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
The US president claimed to have spoken with Xi after Xi’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Winter Olympics in February. Soon after, Russia launched an attack on its neighbour.
Biden made the comments in an interview with American network CBS, which was broadcast on Sunday.
“I responded, ‘I think you’re making a tremendous mistake if you assume that Americans and other investors will still put money into China as a result of your breaking the sanctions put in place against Russia. However, that’s your decision,” the US president said.
Biden asserts that rather than “threaten” the Chinese leader, the contact was made to inform him of the consequences of defying Western sanctions.
“So yet, there’s no indication they’ve put forward weapons or other items that Russia has sought,” Biden continued of China.
Putin’s relations with the West continue to deteriorate as a result of his battle in Ukraine. On February 24, the West placed unprecedented sanctions on Moscow in response to the Kremlin’s deployment of forces.
China has provided Russia with an economic lifeline since the invasion, but Beijing has also reaped the rewards. As well as becoming a sizable user of cheap Russian petroleum, China has positioned itself as a competitor market for Russian goods.
