How Much Is China Helping Russia Finance Its War In Ukraine?

Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks during the opening ceremony of the BRICS summit on June 22, where he decried Western sanctions as “weaponizing” the global economy.  

RFE: Interview: How Much Is China Helping Russia Finance Its War In Ukraine?  

China’s growing appetite for discounted Russian oil has made it the leading financier of the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine by giving Moscow a reliable revenue source that blunts the impact of tough Western sanctions against its economy. 

Four months after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, China has overtaken Germany as the biggest single buyer of Russian energy, with oil sales to China -- and India, another energy-hungry Asian nation -- helping to fill a gap left by Europe, Russia’s biggest export market. 

China and India have together bought an estimated 2.4 million barrels of Russian crude oil a day in May, half of Russia's total exports. 

 Despite being sold at a steep discount, the purchases -- along with climbing oil prices -- have allowed Russian revenues to grow in the face of Western pressure and given Moscow a crucial financial lifeline to keep funding its war effort.  

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WNU Editor: From Russia's point of view they see China as a reliable customer. From the Chinese point of view they see Russia not only as a reliable supplier, but a cheaper one because of ttransport costs. A win-win situation for both sides.  

Update: China's media sees these sanctions as a failure .... Sanctions on Russia: A failed EU strategy (CGTN).