Australia could be on a potential collision course with China after the United States issued a stern warning to Beijing that consequences would follow any lifelines thrown to Russia.
Russia's economy continues to buckle under the pressure of international sanctions but concerns have been raised about Chinese backing to help stave off the effects of Western sanctions.
Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said Australia would continue to move in lockstep with its international partners when it came to sanctioning Russia and those backing the Kremlin.
That included Australian reprisals against actions that "in any way support Russia's assault on the Ukrainians" in line with the US, the UK and European nations, he said.
"We've taken a raft of sanctions against Russian individuals and entities against Belarusian individuals and entities," Senator Birmingham told Sky News on Tuesday.
"By extending that to Belarus, we have demonstrated that we were willing to take sanctions against those players who support Russia in ways that underpin Russia's atrocious attacks on Ukraine."
Australian Finance Minister Simon Birmingham. Source: AAP / LUKAS COCH/AAPIMAGE
But the finance minister stopped short of issuing Beijing an ultimatum.
"I hope that it doesn't come to that because I hope and trust that China does not supply weapons to Russia and does not support [the war]", he said, following reports Moscow asked Beijing for military support in Ukraine.
"What we encourage China to do is stand up for the sovereignty of Ukraine, stand up for the rights of Ukrainian people and apply pressure on Russia to cease this war [and] to end the killing of Ukrainians."
The Associated Press quoted two US officials as saying China had signalled to Russia it would be willing to provide both military support and financial backing.
"Moscow has received a positive response from Beijing," one official told AP on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive information.
Russia has denied it needs China's help, with President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying the country has "its own potential to continue the operation, which, as we have said, is unfolding in accordance with the plan".
The US expressed concern on Monday about "alignment" between Russia and China, after high-ranking US and Chinese officials met for seven hours on the Ukraine war and other security issues.
"We do have deep concerns about China's alignment with Russia," a senior US official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity, adding: "It was a very candid conversation."
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Yang Jiechi, the Chinese Communist Party's chief diplomat, met in a Rome hotel for what a White House readout described as a "substantial" session.
The White House said the two officials also "underscored the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between the United States and China".
Moscow and Beijing have drawn closer in what Washington sees as an increasingly hostile alliance of the authoritarian nuclear powers.
Mr Sullivan's meeting with the top Chinese diplomat was planned weeks ago, officials say, but the encounter took on new importance against the backdrop of Mr Putin's onslaught against Ukrainian cities.
The officials were also meeting a day after US media reported that Russia has asked China for military and economic assistance as its troops struggle to make ground in Ukraine and its economy faces devastation from Western sanctions.
The New York Times, citing unnamed US officials, said there was no indication whether China had responded, but China has so far sent mixed signals on Russia's bloody invasion and US officials say the jury is still out on how Beijing will act.
China's 'leverage' on Russia
Washington hopes Beijing can use its influence on Mr Putin. And while Beijing does not back Western sanctions, the White House is pressuring the economic giant at minimum to refrain from rescuing Russia from potential default or sending weaponry.
"We've communicated very clearly to Beijing, that we won't stand by," State Department spokesman Ned Price said. "We will not allow any country to compensate Russia for its losses."
"We are watching very closely the extent to which ... [China] or any other country for that matter provides any form of support, whether that's material support, economic support," he said.
Mr Price also stressed China's "tremendous leverage" over Russia and said: "China could do more than probably many other countries to bring an end to this senseless violence, to this brutality, to Putin's premeditated war."
Beijing refused to directly address the reports, instead accusing Washington of maliciously spreading "disinformation" over China's role in the Ukraine war.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told journalists on Monday that China had "played a constructive role in urging peace and calling for negotiations".
The senior US official told reporters that in addition to Ukraine, Mr Sullivan and Mr Yang discussed North Korea, which is ramping up missile tests, and tension over Taiwan, which is run as an independent country but is claimed by China.
The official described the talks as reflecting the "intensity" of the current atmosphere and that it was important to have "a candid, direct exchange of views".
"We believe that it is important to keep open lines of communication between the United States and China, especially on areas where we disagree," the official said.
