Journalist Vitaliy Portnikov said this during an interview on Espreso TV.“Nothing stops China. As long as China doesn’t face any problems with these supplies, it will continue providing them. What could stop China? No serious secondary sanctions target China. For its supplies to Russia, China receives money and discounted oil. Why would China help Russia when it profits directly from this?” he said.Portnikov added that China also realizes this war weakens Russia and the West.“Why would this war be bad for China if it actually strengthens China’s own position? Russia acts as a proxy for China by weakening the West and reducing U.S. influence, as we can see. On the other hand, it’s clear that China also benefits financially from this war. Is China really not interested in a Russian victory?” Portnikov noted.He added that even if Putin captures more Ukrainian territory, Russia’s economic problems won’t disappear. “Why would he talk down to China? What leverage does he have? If he keeps fighting or takes more Ukrainian land, will the West start being friendly? No, sanctions will continue. Putin has no choice, and the Chinese know this well. Whether he gains pieces of territory or not—even if he takes all of Ukraine—he won’t have a choice. It will just be some marginal territory in ruins under sanctions, because we understand all these Ukrainian regions, if occupied by Russia, will fall under Western sanctions. Then who can invest in and develop these territories? Only China. India won’t do it to avoid upsetting the Americans. So Putin really has no way out, and the Chinese fully understand that,” the journalist concluded.China may be edging closer to supplying Russia with lethal weapons — despite previously avoiding direct military support to avoid Western sanctions.