Advertisement
Ukraine war
WorldRussia & Central Asia

Ukraine war: French diplomat says China supplying military equipment to Russia it should not

  • Emmanuel Bonne said Beijing was providing dual-use equipment to Moscow on a smaller scale and called for Chinese abstention
  • China has repeatedly denied sending weapons to Russia since the Ukraine war broke out in 2022

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
43
A Ukrainian serviceman inspects a destroyed Russian tank in the recently liberated village of Novodarivka, Zaporizhzhia region, on July 21. Photo: Reuters
Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron’s top diplomatic adviser said China was delivering items that could be used as military equipment to Russia, although not on a massive scale.

Advertisement
Asked at the Aspen Security Forum late on Thursday if the West had seen any evidence that China has armed Russia in any way in the war in Ukraine, Emmanuel Bonne, the head of Macron’s diplomatic team at the Elysee Palace, told the moderator: “Yes, there are indications that they are doing things we would prefer them not to do.”

When pressed on whether China was delivering weapons, Bonne said: “Well, kind of military equipment … as far as we know they are not delivering massively military capacities to Russia but [we need that to be] no delivery.”

French officials told CNN that Bonne was referencing both dual-use technologies and non-lethal assistance, such as helmets and body armour.

Asked for comment, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said US officials are concerned about transfers of “dual-use equipment” from China to Russia that could be used to kill Ukrainians or have a significant battlefield impact.

Advertisement
Advertisement