China has denied reports that Russia asked Beijing for military support in its war with Ukraine, accusing the U.S. of "spreading disinformation" with the claims.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry dismissed the allegations that Russia had asked China for drones and financial assistance to assist with its invasion in a statement to state-run news service China Global Television Network (CGTN).
The claims were first reported in The Financial Times and The Washington Post, as well as other news outlets such as CNN.
In a tweet, CGTN said: "The U.S. is spreading disinformation about China on the Ukraine Crisis, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in response to U.S. allegations that Russia has requested military assistance from China, adding that China is willing to play a constructive role in promoting negotiations."
According to The Post, citing unnamed U.S. officials, it is not known what kind of weaponry Russia had allegedly requested, or if China had responded.
In a statement to Reuters, Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in the U.S., also said that he had "never heard" of the claims that Moscow had asked Beijing for military equipment and economic assistance.
"The current situation in Ukraine is indeed disconcerting," Liu added. "The high priority now is to prevent the tense situation from escalating or even getting out of control."
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN's State of the Union on Sunday that the claims that China providing Russia with support for its attacks against Ukraine are a "concern."
"We also are watching closely to see the extent to which China actually does provide any form of support, material support or economic support, to Russia," Sullivan said. "It is a concern of ours. And we have communicated to Beijing that we will not stand by and allow any country to compensate Russia for its losses from the economic sanctions.
Sullivan is set to travel to Rome on Monday to meet with China's top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, to discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
He warned China that there will "absolutely be consequences" if they are found to have assisted Russia in its invasion when the rest of the world are imposing sanctions on the country.
Sullivan told CNN it is possible that China was aware Russian Vladimir Putin was planning on attacking Ukraine before the invasion took place, but they "may not have understood the full extent of it."
Sullivan added: "Because it's very possible that Putin lied to them the same way that he lied to Europeans and others."
The State Department has been contacted for comment.
