Britain has evidence that China is supplying IS Russia with lethal aid for use in Ukraine and it is clear the countries ‘have each other’s backs’, says Defense Secretary Grant Shapps

British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps today accused China of providing or preparing lethal aid to Russia for use by Moscow in its war against Ukraine.

Shapps told a conference in London that US and British defense intelligence agencies had evidence indicating that “lethal aid is now flowing, or will flow, from China to Russia and Ukraine.”

“We have to worry about that because China would like to present itself as a moderating influence on Russia in the early days of this war,” he said, adding that trade between the countries has increased by 64% since the start of the war increased. the war in Ukraine and ‘they have each other’s backs’.

On the surface, China presents itself as a neutral observer of the conflict.

The Chinese embassy in the US last month refuted claims that it had not supplied weapons to boost Vladimir Putin’s war efforts, adding that it was “not a producer or party to the Ukraine crisis.”

But while it may have stopped supplying weapons directly to its ally, Western officials say Beijing has supplied drone and missile technologies, a range of components used in the manufacture of military equipment, and shared satellite images to Moscow.

120mm mortar crew fires shells at Russian positions as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues in Chasiv Yar, Ukraine on April 27, 2024

Defense Secretary Grant Shapps speaks at the London Defense Conference at King’s College London

President Xi isn’t known for his effusive displays of warmth, but he pulled Putin in for some tight, if awkward, hugs

President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin showed a show of unity in Beijing yesterday, but there seemed little chance that Number 10’s request would be accepted. The pair greeted each other warmly to discuss plans to boost their anti-West alliance

Speaking about the need to boost Britain’s defense capabilities, Shapps added that Russia, China, Iran and North Korea had been emboldened by what he called a quarter-century of “Western timidity” in the face of repression at home and aggression abroad.

He said it was time for the “world to wake up” and that meant all NATO members had to spend 2.5 percent of their gross domestic product on defense – a figure Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised Britain would achieve by would reach the end of the decade.

Meanwhile, Dr. Jade McGlynn, from the Department of War Studies at King’s College London, that a resounding Ukrainian defeat against the Russian attackers would have disastrous consequences not only for Ukrainians, but also for British citizens.

‘I think we need to be much more specific about what is at stake… If Russia were to achieve some form of victory in Ukraine, the cost to the British people would be enormous.

‘We are talking about an increase in energy prices of more than 40%, we are talking about the poorest 10% of households spending 25% of their entire income on energy.

“We’re talking about food price inflation of about 30 to 50%, and of course we’re talking about massively increased defense spending.”

The comments come days after Rishi Sunak called on China to use the influence it claims it has over Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said last week: ‘We urge China to encourage Russia to end the illegal war against Ukraine.

“China has previously spoken out about the importance of protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity in Ukraine – something we have engaged China in at all levels.”

But Sunak’s pleas are unlikely to make any headway as Putin completed a diplomatic visit to Beijing last week, where he enjoyed warm embraces with his Chinese counterpart.

The visit was Putin’s first trip abroad since his re-election in March and the second to China in just over six months.

Analysts said the trip underscored the importance of the relationship to Russia’s war effort and showed Putin and Xi’s intentions to pave a path toward a new multipolar international order in which Western influence over the economy and multilateral institutions is sharply reduced .

Rishi Sunak has called on China to use its influence on Russia to end the war in Ukraine

Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin embrace after an informal meeting in Beijing, China, on Thursday, May 16, 2024

Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin review the guard of honor during an official welcome ceremony in Beijing, China, Thursday, May 16, 2024

Ukrainian soldiers recently returned from Bakhmut’s trenches walk down a street in Khasiv Yar, Ukraine

“The relationship between China and Russia is a hard-earned affair, and the two sides should cherish and nurture it,” Xi said after his meeting with Putin.

The embraces shared by the two leaders still fell far short of the full-on “socialist brotherly kiss” favored by the likes of Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War.

But Putin praised the “warm and comradely” talks – the latest step in consolidating a relationship they see as a pillar against what they see as a meddling West.

He described cooperation between Moscow and Beijing in world affairs as one of the most important stabilizing factors in the international arena.

Despite their emphasis on the partnership, most analysts and commentators agree that, amid his ongoing war, it is Putin who needs this relationship more than Xi.

China has provided an economic lifeline for Russia after the West hit Moscow with unprecedented sanctions on Ukraine, and Putin has spoken highly of his Chinese counterpart, waxing lyrical about his admiration for Chinese culture – even noting that members of teaching his family Mandarin.