After
Jake Sullivan,  the National Security Advisor of the United States, alleged that
Russia sought Beijing’s help in the military and economic fronts in its war against
Ukraine, Kremlin rejected the claim. It said Russia has sufficient military
strength to complete its war over Ukraine without any external help.

Also Read: Russia seeking military aid from China, claims US

Asked
about Sullivan’s remarks on Russia seeking help from China to continue its war
against Ukraine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov categorically said, “No.”
“Russia possesses its own independent potential to continue the operation. As
we said, it is going according to plan and will be completed on time and in
full,” he added.

China
too issued a statement on Monday and termed Sullivan’s remark as
“malicious”. It also accused the US of spreading
“disinformation” against it over the Ukraine issue.

Also Read: Missile strike in Ukraine’s Donetsk causes multiple casualties: Report

When
asked about the claims by the US, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao
Lijian told a media briefing that Beijing has been playing a constructive role
in promoting peace talks.

“The
US has been constantly spreading disinformation targeting China recently over
the Ukraine issue. this is malicious,” he said.

Also Read: China battles multiple outbreaks, driven by stealth omicron

“What
is pressing now is that all parties should exercise restraint and strive to cool
down the situation, rather than fuelling the tension,” Zhao told
reporters.

“We
should promote diplomatic settlements instead of further escalating the
situation,” he said.

Also Read: Ukraine’s Zelensky to address US Congress virtually amid Russian attack

In
advance of the talks on Sunday, White House national security advisor Sullivan
bluntly warned China to avoid helping Russia evade punishment from global
sanctions that have hammered the Russian economy. “We will not allow that to go
forward,” he said. China in turn accused on Monday the US of spreading
“disinformation.”

Chinese
state broadcaster CCTV said the talks with the US were underway around 11:50
a.m. Rome time (1050 GMT), but gave no other details.

Also Read: Explained: What does Poland’s MiG 29 offer to Ukraine entail?

The
prospect of China offering Russia financial help is one of several concerns for
President Joe Biden. A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity to
discuss sensitive matters, said that in recent days, Russia had requested
support from China, including military equipment, to press forward in its
ongoing war with Ukraine. The official did not provide details on the scope of
the request. The request was first reported by the Financial Times and The
Washington Post.