According to security expert Christian Mölling, China will not supply large quantities of weapons to Russia for the war in Ukraine. Mölling said on Tuesday in the stern podcast “Ukraine – the situation” that China was relatively firmly on Russia’s side. However, massive arms aid would result in the US imposing sanctions on countries that provide military support to Russia. The Europeans would probably follow suit. “China would suffer a massive disadvantage from this,” said the research director of the German Council on Foreign Relations. He did not rule out that the Chinese could get some ammunition or raw materials to Russia through “a few dark channels”. But at most in such a way that it is not too obvious. Because: “They need the West.”
The security expert interpreted US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s warning against Chinese arms deliveries to Russia as a signal to the Chinese leadership. He understood Blinken “to make such an opportunity public to signal China: we’ll see what you’re doing there.” It is already clear to everyone what major effects the Ukraine war is having on the world economy, which is affecting energy and grain supplies, among other things. “If we restrict trade relations with China, that will have far greater consequences that both sides have to fear,” said Mölling. China might see an opportunity to make Russia a junior partner. But that doesn’t change the fact that this connection cannot replace relations with the West. “Moscow is currently not an important trading partner for China,” argued Mölling, “nor is it a technology partner for importing technology that it cannot produce itself”.
Mölling saw President Vladimir Putin’s speech on the state of the nation as an attempt to encourage the Russians. “It’s about telling people: It’s all good, trust me, I can do it,” said Mölling. Putin didn’t bring many new arguments, but rather expanded his already familiar view ‘ said Molling.
