Russia Calls Report that China's Xi Warned Putin Against Using Nukes 'Fictitious'
Russia dismissed a new report that claimed Chinese President Xi Jinping warned Russian President Vladimir Putin against using nuclear weapons in Ukraine — potentially showing fissures in the blossoming relationship between the two countries that the Kremlin has said is “limitless.”
The Financial Times reported Wednesday — citing unnamed sources from the U.S., China, and Russia — that Chinese officials have been taking credit for snuffing out Russian threats to use nuclear weapons during the war in Ukraine. The issue was reportedly discussed during a meeting between Xi and Putin in March.
A former Chinese official told the paper that the Chinese leader told Putin not to use nuclear weapons. The paper reported that Chinese officials have “taken credit for convincing the Russian president to back down from his veiled threats of using a nuclear weapon against Ukraine.”