G-7 Considers Sanctioning North Korean, Iranian, and Chinese Companies for Aiding Russia’s Military

by Alberto Nardelli and Jennifer Jacobs; Edited by News Gate Team

The (Bloomberg) According to persons familiar with the situation, the Group of Seven member states are debating whether to sanction businesses in China, Iran, and North Korea that they suspect are giving Russia parts and technology for military use.

The goal is to coordinate a set of actions by February 24, the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the sources, who asked not to be named because the conversation was private.

One of the persons added that because the conversations are still in their early stages, the actions taken by each G-7 state may differ. The people claimed that decisions on the potential participating companies are also pending.

National Security Council of the White House spokespeople declined to comment.

Any move would be indicative of the G-7’s efforts to obstruct the flow of goods with military applications to Russia via third countries that have not ratified the sanctions put in place in the wake of its invasion. According to the sources, there is worry that businesses might be assisting Russia in evading sanctions.

A Chinese surveillance balloon allegedly crossing the US caused Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s trip to Beijing to be postponed. The US has already expressed alarm to China regarding non-lethal weapons supplied to Russia.

China earlier rebuffed charges that some of its state-owned companies may be assisting Russia’s battle in Ukraine, saying that if Washington wants the conflict to cease, it should stop delivering weapons. Speaking on behalf of the Foreign Ministry, Mao Ning declared in late January that China “would never add fuel to the fire, much less exploit the problem.”

After Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu’s visit to Russia this month, the government declared that China and Russia’s strategic alliance is still gaining pace and will continue to expand.

Since the commencement of the war, China has frequently defended its right to continue conducting business with Russia. Zhang Hanhui, the ambassador of the Asian country to Moscow, instructed roughly a dozen business executives there in March to “fill the hole” in the local market without delay.

Then on Monday, when asked if Chinese companies were supplying Russia spare parts that may be used in the war effort, the ambassador in Paris, Lu Shaye, said, “But parts are not weapons, are they?”

Lu emphasized once more that China was not giving Russia any weapons.

The allies of Ukraine have already imposed sanctions on Iranian companies who are thought to be supplying Russia with drones and are currently looking to do so further. They also criticized North Korea for supplying Moscow with weapons. Iran and North Korea both deny helping Russia in its conflict. Some members of the G-7 think that Chinese companies are selling microchips and other technology products that help Russia’s military.

Additionally, diplomatic measures are being made to close any potential gaps in the sanctions that Russia might be using to import equipment through nations like the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and India.

—with Philip Glamann’s aid.

by Alberto Nardelli and Jennifer Jacobs; Edited by News Gate Team