China asked Russia to wait until after Olympics to invade Ukraine: report
FOX NewsDec 04, 2021
China Allegedly Asked Russia to Delay Invasion of Ukraine
Image copyright: Sputnik/Reuters [via NY Times]
The Facts
Chinese officials allegedly told Russia to delay the planned invasion of Ukraine until after the close of the Beijing Winter Olympics, according to Western intelligence.
Putin met with Chinese Premier Xi Jinping in the Chinese capital on the eve of the Winter Games. The summit resulted in a statement of joint cooperation and condemnation of NATO expansionism.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
We are witnessing the start of a new Cold War, with Russia and China joining a non-agression pact and authoritarian states facing off against liberal democracies around the globe. China is taking a bold swipe at the Western alliance by wading into Western European security disputes.
Establishment-critical narrative
What we're seeing in Ukraine is the predictable backlash of a cornered Russia against 30 years of NATO expansionism; expansion that came despite well-documented US assurances to the contrary, and which would inevitably reach the boundaries of Russia. Taking Russia's security concerns seriously would have avoided the Ukraine tragedy.
Anti-China narrative
The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a strategic coup encouraged by Xi Jinping. He encouraged the conflict and is now taking notes on the Western response to plan a Taiwan invasion and other acts of international aggression.