Turner says China aiding Russia in war would be ‘inexhaustible source of weapons’

Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) said on Sunday that that there would be an “inexhaustible source of weapons” if China started to aid Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.

“The problem with China entering this is because you’ve got the West giving weapons to Ukraine,” Turner told Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “You’ve got Russia depleting their stores. We obviously — the West together have an ability to impact Ukraine greater than Russia alone does.”

But that could change if Beijing began supplying Moscow’s war, he added.

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

The U.S. has warned China of unspecific “consequences” if it provides lethal aid to Russia in its conflict with Ukraine. Sanctions would be a likely start to that response.

China has fired back against U.S. claims that it is considering sending lethal aid to Russia, saying that the country is “on the side of peace and dialogue.”

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

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