US says Russian sanctions give China 'good understanding' of outcomes on supporting Putin

US sanctions on Russia provide the Xi Jinping government in China a “good understanding” of what might happen with Beijing if it supports the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine, said US deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman. Speaking at a House of Representatives foreign affairs committee hearing on Wednesday, Sherman said that a “range of sanctions” and export controls that are imposed by US and its allies against Russian President Vladimir Putin, its economy and even oligarchs, should ultimately serve as an example for China.    

Sherman said, “It gives President Xi, I think, a pretty good understanding of what might come his way should he, in fact, support Putin in any material fashion.”

Additionally, the US Deputy Secretary of State said that Beijing should “take away the right lessons” from the West’s coordinated response against Russia over the war in Ukraine. She said that any armed development by China on the self-ruled democratic island of Taiwan would be unacceptable for the US. 

Referring to the People’s Republic of China, Sherman said, “We hope that the PRC understands that any such action would see a response from the international community, not just from the United States”.

It is to note that Sherman’s remarks came as China refused to publicly condemn Russia’s action in Ukraine or even call it an invasion. Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24 launched the so-called ‘special’ operation in Ukraine but what followed was intense military aggression in the former Soviet Union nation. While the majority of the West and several other nations have levelled harsh criticism against Putin’s regime, China has instead criticised the sanctions imposed on Moscow. However, a senior Chinese diplomat just last week had said that Beijing is not deliberately circumventing those sanctions.

US says Ukraine could 'absolutely win' war against Russia

Meanwhile, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby on Wednesday said, Russian President Vladimir Putin has achieved “exactly zero” of his objectives in Ukraine and also failed to capture Kyiv. During the regular press briefing amid Russia Ukraine war, Kirby said that Putin was unable to take the Ukrainian capital, could not topple the Volodymyr Zelenskyy-led government in Ukraine and did not “remove Ukraine” as a country. 

Additionally, the US Department of Defence spokesperson expressed confidence in Ukrainian forces resisting Russian troops for nearly 43 days now. Kirby said that Ukraine could “absolutely” win the war against Putin’s forces.

Image: AP