CIA Director: US Is ‘Confident’ China Considering Providing Lethal Military Equipment to Assist Russia in War

CIA Director William Burns said that the US is “confident” that China is considering providing Russia with lethal military equipment for its war against Ukraine.

“We’re confident that the Chinese leadership is considering the provision of lethal equipment,” he told CBS’ “Face the Nation” in an interview.

“We also don’t see that a final decision has been made yet, and we don’t see evidence of actual shipments of lethal equipment,” he noted.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken initially accused China last weekend of considering such a step, which several top US officials warned would result in serious consequences.

“That’s why, I think, Secretary Blinken and the President have thought it important to make very clear what the consequences of that would be as well … because it would be a very risky and unwise bet,” Burns added.

China has hit back at the US over the allegations, accusing America of escalating the war in Ukraine and claiming that Beijing is firmly “on the side of peace and dialogue".