If it's Monday, Washington's wartime warning to Beijing. As U.S. officials tell NBC News, China is

considering sending artillery and ammunition to Russia. China fires back, accusing the U.S. of spreading

disinformation. Plus, former Vice President Mike Pence speaks to NBC News, rebuking fellow Republicans,

saying there is no room in the party for Putin apologists as he gears up for a potential 2024 showdown with Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis.

And authorities are set to update the public any minute now in East Palestine, Ohio, as contaminated soil and water is now being shipped to other locations,

prompting new health and safety concerns.

Welcome to meet the press now. I'm Kristen Welker. We begin today with growing tensions between the U.S. and China.

Three U.S. officials tell NBC News, new intelligence suggests China is considering providing artillery and ammunition to Russia, which would mark a significant development in the war as the fighting in Ukraine

enters its second year.

These U.S. officials did not say what specific evidence they had to support the intelligence.

But CIA director Bill Burns telling CBS news over the weekend,

the U.S. was confident Chinese leadership was considering the move.

He says no final decision has been made by China,

and there is no evidence of actual shipments of lethal aid to Russia at this time.

President Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, told Chuck yesterday,

any shipment of lethal aid to Russia would only alienate China on the world stage.

I don't think it is in China's interest to do this.

I think it would alienate them from a number

of countries in the world, including our European allies, and it would put them four square

into the center of responsibility for the kinds of war crimes and bombardments of civilians and

atrocities that the Russians are committing in Ukraine. Their weapons would in effect be used for the slaughter of people in Ukraine.

So I think it would be ill-advised for China to move forward.

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