China’s aid to Russia in the war, Turner says, would be an ‘inexhaustible source of weapons’

Representative Mike Turner (R-Ohio) said Sunday that there would be an “inexhaustible source of weapons” if China began aiding Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.

“The problem with this entry of China is that you got the West to hand over weapons to Ukraine,” Turner told Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “You have Russia exhausting their stores. It is clear that we – the West together have the potential to influence Ukraine more than Russia alone does.”

He added that that could change if Beijing starts supporting Moscow’s war.

“It would be an inexhaustible source of weapons if China supported Russia in its production capacity and that would change the dynamic,” Turner said.

The United States has warned China of unspecified “consequences” if it provides lethal assistance to Russia in its conflict with Ukraine. Sanctions are likely to be the beginning of this response.

China has responded to US allegations that it is considering sending lethal aid to Russia, saying the country “stands for peace and dialogue”.

China called a cease-fire in the Russia-Ukraine war last month and drew up a 12-point peace plan to negotiate a solution between the two countries.

President Biden said last month that the peace plan proposed by China is “not rational,” adding that the only country the plan would benefit from is Russia.