Joe Biden said Friday from Ottawa that Beijing “has not supplied” weapons to Russia at this stage, despite Western concerns, AFP reports.

“I’ve been hearing for three months now that China is going to provide a significant amount of weapons to Russia… That doesn’t mean they won’t do it, but they haven’t done it yet,” the US president said during a trip to his Canadian neighbor.

“I do not take China lightly. I don’t take Russia lightly,” he added, noting that reports of their rapprochement were likely “exaggerated.”

On the other hand, Joe Biden insisted on strengthening ties between Westerners. “In general, the West has become much closer,” he said, referring to the unified coalition.

During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow this week, the Russians and Chinese hailed the start of a “new era” in their “special relationship”.

But while the Chinese leader has promised moral support and a lifeline for trade, he has refrained from supplying weapons to Russian soldiers in Ukraine, which could lead to Western sanctions against his country.

There were also no long-term commitments to buy large volumes of Russian gas, exports of which to Europe fell, leaving a huge hole in Russia’s finances.