When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, some analysts suggested that Vladmir Putin had “played” his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. The pair had stood together in Beijing three weeks earlier and declared that there were “no limits” to their relationship. It made Xi look like an accomplice.
The timing was certainly suspect. Putin was in Beijing for the opening of the Winter Olympics. American officials claim they shared intelligence with the Chinese government ahead of the meeting and urged them to help deter the attack, but that they had merely requested that it did not take place during the Olympics. Sure enough, 24 hours after the closing ceremony, Russian tanks began crossing into eastern Ukraine.
