Nato chief concerned China will arm Russia in Ukraine, urges Moscow to ‘reconsider’ suspending New START treaty

Name: Russia is ‘launching new offensives’ in Ukraine, says Nato chief
Uploaded: 2023-02-21T13:12:57.000Z
Duration: 1 min 53 s
Description: Russia is ‘launching new offensives’ in Ukraine, says Nato chief

Western allies could fall even further behind in what would be a growing arms supply race if China begins to deliver weapons to Russia

Stoltenberg also expressed regret over Russia’s move to suspend the New START treaty, and urged it to rethink its decision

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Stoltenberg also warned that Russia’s suspension of a nuclear treaty with the US marked the end of Europe’s post-Cold War arms control architecture. Photo: EPA-EFE

Agence France-Presse

Published: 9:12pm, 21 Feb 2023

Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg echoed US concerns on Tuesday that China could supply Russia with weapons to help it pursue its war against Ukraine.

“It is President (Vladimir) Putin who started this imperial war of conquest. It is Putin who keeps escalating the war,” Stoltenberg said.

“We are also increasingly concerned that China may be planning to provide lethal support for Russia’s war.”

Stoltenberg was speaking after a meeting with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on plans to step up Western ammunition supplies to Ukraine.

The Western allies worry they are falling behind in supplying enough shells for Kyiv’s artillery to fend off a renewed Russian offensive.

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Russia is ‘launching new offensives’ in Ukraine, says Nato chief

But if the fears – first raised by Washington – that China is preparing to deliver weapons to Russia are realised, they could fall even further behind in what would be a growing arms supply race.