US urges China not to support Moscow in war against Ukraine

This was reported by Reuters with reference to the statement of John Kirby, the White House National Security Council's strategic coordinator for communications, on the background of the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit in Uzbekistan.

"We do not believe that anyone should be on the sidelines. The whole world should stand against what Putin is doing. Now is not the time for any business as usual with Putin," he emphasized.

Xi Jinping and Putin are known to have met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in their first face-to-face meeting since Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February.

Kirby said it remains to be seen how much China will support Russia's war, noting that Beijing has not resorted to material support for Putin and has not violated sanctions against Moscow.