WASHINGTON, March 17 - Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday the U.S. is concerned that China might supply Russia with military equipment to use in Ukraine, NBC News reported.

Blinken said at a news conference at the State Department that President Joe Biden will speak with Chinese President Xi Jingping on Friday "and will make clear that China will bear responsibility for any actions it takes to support Russia's aggression, and we will not hesitate to impose costs."

He said China has a responsibility to use its influence on Putin.

"Instead, it appears the China is moving in the opposite direction by refusing to condemn this aggression, while seeking to portray itself as a neutral arbiter," he said.

Blinken also said that he agrees with President Joe Biden that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine.

"Personally, I agree," Blinken told reporters at a press conference from the State Department, referring to Biden's remark Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is a war criminal.

He continued, "Intentionally targeting civilians is a war crime." Blinken said Russia has been attacking civilian sites including in this week alone, a hospital, three school and a boarding school for visually impaired children in the Luhansk region of Ukraine.

"These incidents join a long list of attacks on civilian, not military locations across Ukraine," he said.

Blinken said U.S. experts are in the process of "documenting and evaluating potential war crimes being committed in Ukraine." He said the Senate confirmed this week Beth Van Schaack, an ambassador-at-large for global criminal justice, who will be leading the effort at the State Department to ensure American findings "help international efforts to investigate war crimes and hold those responsible accountable." (nbc/ez)