The US government warned yesterday Tuesday that will hold China responsible if Russia make further territorial gains in the war in Ukraineafter Beijing renewed its pledge to strengthen cooperation with Moscow during a visit by the head of Russian diplomacy.

Kurt Campbell, the US deputy secretary of state, said that maintaining peace and stability in Europe has been “the most important mission historically” for Washington.

He went on to say that Russia’s territorial gains could “alter the balance of power in Europe in a way that is, frankly, unacceptable” after more than two years of war in Ukraine and as Washington continues to see a promised aid package to Kiev blocked. in Congress since last year.

“We have told China directly that if it continues, it will have an impact on the US-China relationship. We’re not going to sit back (saying) ‘everything will be fine,'” Mr. Campbell said.

“This is against our interests,” he added during a meeting of the national committee on US-China relations.

The top US diplomat was responding to a question about Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s visit to China on Tuesday, during which his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and Chinese President Xi Jinping assured Beijing was ready to further strengthen bilateral ties. cooperation.

Mr Campbell also said Washington had warned Beijing before Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military to invade Ukraine in February 2022.

“I’m not sure if they believed us completely, or if they thought it would probably be something smaller,” he said.

According to him, Beijing was alarmed by the first Russian defeats in the field and tried to contribute to the recovery of Moscow’s “military capabilities”. However, more than two years later, “Russia has reorganized (including militarily) almost completely and poses a great threat to Ukraine and the periphery” of Europe, he judged.

The US has repeatedly threatened to sanction China if it is deemed to be aiding Russia’s war effort.

Washington has argued that Russia is increasingly turning to munitions and weapons systems from North Korea and Iran — countries under US and international sanctions — in what the Kremlin has dubbed a “special military operation”.