China Told Russia To Delay Ukraine Invasion Until After Olympics: US Officials

Senior Chinese officials "Told" senior Russian officials in early February not to invade Ukraine before the end of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, according to the New York Times, citing senior Biden administration officials and a European official who spoke of a Western intelligence report on condition of anonymity.

According to the classified report, senior Chinese officials had some level of knowledge about Russia's plans for Ukraine prior to the Olympics, at a time when Moscow and Beijing issued a joint 5,000-word statement declaring that their partnership had "No limits," while denouncing NATO expansion, and vowing to establish a new global order with true "Democracy."

US officials implored China to intervene leading up to the Russian invasion, according to the report, but China simply went to Russia to let them know that America was 'trying to sow discord' and that they wouldn't help.

For months, some American officials tried to recruit China in efforts to avert war in Ukraine.

Days after President Biden spoke to Mr. Xi in a video summit on Nov. 15, senior American officials decided to present intelligence on the Russian troop buildup around Ukraine to senior Chinese officials to try to get them to persuade Mr. Putin to stand down.

In a half-dozen meetings, including one in Washington between U.S. officials and the Chinese ambassador just hours before the Russian invasion, Chinese officials expressed skepticism that Mr. Putin would invade Ukraine, American officials said.

After one diplomatic exchange in December, U.S. officials received intelligence showing Beijing had shared the information with Moscow, telling the Russians that the United States was trying to sow discord and that China would not try to impede Russian plans and actions, American officials said.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/china-told-russia-delay-ukraine-invasion-until-after-olympics-us-officials