Russia says it has no need for now to forge a military alliance with China to fend-off the United States, NATO, and its allies in the Indo-Pacific.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov admitted Russia's military and economic ties with China have gotten stronger as the West continues to punish both countries with economic sanctions for a variety of human rights abuses and criminal acts.
On March 1, the EU and the U.S. acting in concert simultaneously sanctioned high-level officials of the Russian government for their roles in the attempted murder of Alexei Navalny, a fierce critic of president Vladimir Putin, in August 2020. Navalny, who was poisoned with the banned nerve agent, Novichok, now languishes in a Russian prison.
The Council of the EU formally imposed penalties on senior Russian officials for "their roles in the arbitrary arrest, prosecution and sentencing of" Navalny, "as well as the repression of peaceful protests in connection with his unlawful treatment."
On the other hand, the U.S. imposed broader sanctions on seven senior Russian officials that also included penalties for the assassination attempt on Navalny.
The Biden administration also expanded its sanctions under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act; imposed new export restrictions on items that could be used for biological agent and chemical production, and put in place visa restrictions.
On March 22, the European Union imposed sanctions on four top Chinese government officials and one entity for gross human rights violations against the Muslim Uyghur minority in China. The Chinese officials are accused of human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims, said the EU.
Lavrov commended his country's close ties with China despite these sanctions. But he let slip the comment Russia has no intention of forging a military alliance or coordinating a joint military position with China against the West.
"We don't need a military alliance in the classic sense like NATO," said Lavrov said.
Lavrov's statement is squarely at odds with Putin, who said he favors a military alliance with China to challenge the West in Europe and Asia.
In October 2020, Putin said the idea of a future Russia-China military alliance can't be ruled out.
He also revealed Russia has been sharing highly sensitive military technologies with China, which helped significantly bolster the latter's defense capabilities.
Putin said he wants to develop closer ties with China as Russia's relations with the West deteriorate to post-Cold War lows over Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea; Russia's meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections and the attempted murders of Putin opponents Sergei Skripal and Navalny.
Russia and China had previously hailed their renewed "strategic partnership," but still downplay, publicly at least, any talk about the possibility of their forming a military alliance to counterbalance the United States in the Indo-Pacific.
Lavrov also said Russia's relations with the United States and its allies have "hit the bottom."
"The confrontation has hit the bottom," said Lavrov on Russian TV. "But on the other hand, there is a hope that they are all grown-up people who realize the risks linked with inciting more tensions. I hope that common sense will prevail."
