Will Chinese Emperor Xi Jinping now come to Putin's rescue?

The dust is beginning to settle on the recent 2023 Munich Security Conference held in Bavaria, and top of the agenda was Putin's war against Ukraine.

DW : 15 February 2023 : YouTube

As reported by EuroNews,

"World leaders meeting in Bavaria have called for Western allies to increase military aid to Kyiv. The Munich Security Conference comes ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen (left), appealed for an increase in military support in areas such as ammunition supplies.

“I think now is the time really to speed up and scale up the production of the standardised products that Ukraine needs desperately," she said. "For example, standardised ammunition. We cannot wait months and years until we are able to replenish (stocks) and until we are able to deliver that to Ukraine.”" (EuroNews : 18 February 2023) (my emphasis)

And as world leaders are calling for 'speeding up and increasing' military aid to Ukraine, Patrick Wintour informs us that,

"The US has said it believes China may be about to provide lethal aid to help Russia in the war in Ukraine, prompting a direct warning against doing so from the secretary of state, Antony Blinken, to China’s top diplomat [Wang Yi] (left).
...
“The concern that we have now is, based on information we have, that they’re considering providing lethal support,” Blinken told CBS’s Face the Nation shortly after he met with Wang. “And we’ve made very clear to them that that could cause a serious problem for us and in our relationship.” (The Guardian : 18 February 2023) (my emphasis) (cf also: Sophia Barkoff : CBS News : 19 February 2023)

MSNBC : 19 February 2023

Julia Mueller (left) informs us, however, that,

"Retired four-star Army Gen. Jack Keane on Sunday said Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s warning on Sunday that China could provide lethal aid to Russia could actually cause Beijing to cancel those plans.
..
“And I think coming out and exposing — and I would go further and tell them — what we think they are attempting to provide, China will pull back, likely, after that public exposure.”

Keane called China and Russia “strategic partners” and said “we shouldn’t be surprised that China wants Russia to succeed.” " (The Hill : 19 February 2023) (my emphasis)

Caution should be exercised when assuming that, "China will pull back from supplying Putin with lethal weaponry after that public exposure by US Secretary Of State, Anthony Blinken".

The downing of that Chinese spy balloon, brimful with electronic sensors, that recently traversed the US, indicates that Emperor Xi Jinpin (right) of China is flexing his military muscle against the US.

And why not by also supplying Putin with lethal military equipment?

Which underscores, in the words of Ursula von der Leyen, that,

"“I think now is the time really to speed up and scale up the production of the standardised products that Ukraine needs desperately," she said." (ibid EuroNews)  

Putin's paranoid desire to present the Russian public with some sort of military victory on Friday 24th, a year after his THIRD invasion of Ukraine, must be plaguing his mind.

Co-incidentally, as reported by Gianluca Semeraro (left),

"China's President Xi Jinping will deliver a "peace speech" on the anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, Italy's foreign minister said on Friday, apparently continuing Beijing's line of urging peace while avoiding condemnation of its ally Russia." (Reuters : 17 February 2023) (my emphasis)

A mere co-incidence?

Will Chinese Emperor Xi Jining now come to Putin's rescue?

 

(to be continued)