Russia asked China for military support and economic assistance amid its invasion of Ukraine, two US officials told CNN.
Russia made the request after the invasion, asking for military equipment including drones and economic aid, according to the report.
It’s unclear what China’s response was. Both the Chinese and Russian governments have denied the report.
"I've never heard of that,” a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in the US said.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Zhao Lijan accused the US of “peddling disinformation.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “no, there wasn’t” a request.
"Russia has an independent potential to continue the operation,” he said.
Sullivan meets with Chinese:
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi in Rome on Monday to discuss the situation.
Sullivan told CNN on Sunday that China providing support to Russia is a “concern.”
"We also are watching closely to see the extent to which China actually does provide any form of support, material support or economic support, to Russia. It is a concern of ours. And we have communicated to Beijing that we will not stand by and allow any country to compensate Russia for its losses from the economic sanctions," he said.
White House slams China response:
The White House lashed out at China’s response to the invasion after Chinese officials backed Russia’s disinformation campaign justifying its invasion.
“Our assessment right now is that (China is) abiding by the requirements that have been put in place, but we would continue to encourage any country to think a lot about what place they want to -- what role they want to play -- in history as we all look back," White House press secretary Jen Psaki warned last week.
Sullivan told CNN that there would be “consequences” if China helps Russia dodge sanctions.
"China, in fact, was aware before the invasion took place that Vladimir Putin was planning something, they may not have understood the full extent of it,” he added. "Because it's very possible that Putin lied to them the same way that he lied to Europeans and others.”
