Blinken Warns China/India Of Russian Anti-Satellite Capability

Reuters reporting that, according to a US official, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, raised "Russia's pursuit of anti-satellite capability," in meetings at the Munich Security Conference with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

• Comes after the White House was strong-armed into partially disclosing intelligence on the new Russian weapon capability this week by House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner's (R-OH) decision to issue a statement warning of an "destabilising national security threat."
• White House and Congressional leaders have since stated that, while the threat is concerning, it isn't an immediate risk to national security and is one relevant agencies have been aware of for a number of months.
• Some Western commentators have noted that although Russia and China have accelerated their bipartisan relationship since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia's loose nuclear rhetoric may be a wedge between Moscow and Beijing.
• FT reported in July, 2023: "Xi Jinping personally warned Vladimir Putin against using nuclear weapons in Ukraine, indicating Beijing harbours concerns about Russia’s war even as it offers tacit backing to Moscow..."
• Since then there appears to have been a downtick in rhetoric from Moscow and Kremlin-affiliated media on the use of nuclear weapons either as a deterrent or as a credible offensive strategy.
• By flagging the issue, the US likely believes that China and India may consider using their commercial leverage as oil and gas export destinations to harden their approach on Moscow, which they have so far been largely unwilling.