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BRUSSELS — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will travel to Washington next week, with China’s potential supply of weapons to Russia expected to be high on the agenda of a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden.
Her trip next Friday, confirmed by the White House, comes as EU officials are taking a wait-and-see approach to Washington’s claim that Beijing is considering providing Moscow with weapons. In a White House statement, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden will discuss “our work together to address the challenges posed by the People’s Republic of China” with von der Leyen.
U.S. officials are reportedly seeking to call on close allies to impose unprecedented sanctions on China, if Beijing provides military support to Russia for its war against Ukraine.
On Thursday, top Brussels-based diplomats from Ukraine, the U.S., Canada, Poland, the Baltic states, Japan and South Korea gathered for a lunch meeting. A spokesman for the Polish permanent representation to the EU, which organized the lunch, refused to disclose details of the discussion but said that the meeting was aimed at showing support for Ukraine.
A senior diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said at least one representative at the meeting said the EU should not act without proof of Chinese delivery of weapons to Russia. “Clearly a red line is crossed” if there is such proof, the diplomat added.