US official: China's support for Russia's war effort in Ukraine 'comes from very top' 

FILE - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose for a photo during their meeting in Beijing, Oct. 18, 2023.

A senior U.S. State Department official said Wednesday that Beijing's support for Moscow’s defense industry comes directly from the top leadership of the People’s Republic of China, or PRC. The official also pointed out that chips supplied by China have significantly bolstered Russia's battlefield capabilities in its war against Ukraine.