WASHINGTON : Russia has asked China for military equipment and other assistance for its war effort, according to U.S. officials, who didn’t specify what Russia had requested.

       News of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s request for help from Beijing, first reported by the Washington Post, comes as Russia’s war effort in Ukraine has been bogged down and as U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan heads to Rome on Monday to meet with a top Chinese official on the conflict inside Ukraine.

       Mr. Sullivan spoke on CNN on Sunday of the growing concern inside the Biden administration that Russia may be looking for help in the conflict, though he didn’t acknowledge a specific request from Russia to China.

       “We are also watching closely to see the extent to which China actually does provide any form of support, material support or economic support, to Russia," Mr. Sullivan said. “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."

       China and Russia declared a “no limits" partnership with each other last month, with both criticizing NATO and other U.S. alliances as threats to their security.

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       China also abstained from a United Nations Security Council vote condemning Russian aggression in Ukraine last month. But it has distanced itself from the conflict in some ways as Mr. Putin’s military effort has faced stiff resistance.

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