U.S. Repeatedly Urged China to Help Avert War

“Over three months, senior Biden administration officials held half a dozen urgent meetings with top Chinese officials in which the Americans presented intelligence showing Russia’s troop buildup around Ukraine and beseeched the Chinese to tell Russia not to invade,“ the New York Times reports.

“Each time, the Chinese officials, including the foreign minister and the ambassador to the United States, rebuffed the Americans, saying they did not think an invasion was in the works. After one diplomatic exchange in December, U.S. officials got 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.”

Wall Street Journal: “Chinese leader Xi Jinping told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call Friday that he supported Russia and Ukraine resolving their differences through talks, saying that Beijing would decide its stance on Ukraine based on the merits of the issue.”