By Andrea Shalal and Michael Martina
"WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who is due to meet with China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi in Rome on Monday, warned Beijing that it would "absolutely" face consequences if it helped Moscow evade sweeping sanctions over the war in Ukraine.
Sullivan told CNN the United States believed China was aware that Russia was planning some action in Ukraine before the invasion took place, although Beijing may not have understood the full extent of what was planned.
Now, he said, Washington was watching closely to see to what extent Beijing provided economic or material support to Russia, and would impose consequences if that occurred.
"We are communicating directly, privately to Beijing, that there will absolutely be consequences for large-scale sanctions, evasion efforts or support to Russia to backfill them," Sullivan said. "We will not allow that to go forward and allow there to be a lifeline to Russia from these economic sanctions from any country, anywhere in the world."
A senior administration official said the war in Ukraine would be a "significant topic" during Sullivan's meeting with Yang, which is part of a broader effort by Washington and Beijing to maintain open channels of communication and manage competition between the world's two largest economies..."
The Western Allies are out of ammo against Russia. They have exhausted everything. If they think double digit inflation is bad then try launching an economic war against China and the average joe will be wishing they had double digit instead of triple digit. Push economic pain even further and Trump might get a 50 state landslide.