Live updates: Official says “battle continues” in key city, rebuffing Russian claim of control
A Western intelligence report indicated that Chinese officials in early February requested that senior Russian officials wait until after the Olympics to begin an invasion of Ukraine, Biden administration officials said Wednesday.
Chinese Communist Party officials conveyed the information to Russian officials at the time, according to U.S. officials. It was not clear whether Chinese President Xi Jinping directly discussed invasion timing with Russian President Vladimir Putin. But his desires were clear, said a U.S. official familiar with the intelligence.
“That was one of Xi’s biggest concerns” — that an invasion not happen “until after the Closing Ceremonies,” said the official, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the matter’s sensitivity.New York Times. Putin met with Xi at the start of the Olympics, on Feb. 4, and was one of a few world leaders who attended. Many others boycotted the event in protest of China’s repression of Uyghurs, its ethnic Muslim minority population.reaffirming their partnership and firmly opposing NATO enlargement.to use its influence to pressure Moscow to refrain from attacking Ukraine. China was unmoved by the overtures.
Beijing was concerned that an invasion would be destabilizing and upset the Olympics, according to a second U.S. official. Such a move would have been similar to when Russia invaded the former Soviet republic of Georgia as the 2008 Beijing Olympics were starting.four days after the Olympic torch was extinguished, Russia began to invade Ukraine.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Russia-Ukraine Live: Ukraine sets up hotline for families of Russian prisoners of warRussian and Ukraine officials held talks Monday as the invasion continues. Follow Newsweek for the latest updates.
Read more »
Russia attacks Ukraine: UN votes to condemn Russian aggression against Ukraine (live updates)Follow along for the latest on the U.S. response to tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine War: What to know on Day 7 of Russian assaultRussia and Ukraine say they're prepared to hold talks for the second time since the Russian invasion of its neighbor began last week.
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine war: Russian military takes aim at urban areas amid possible talksRussia continued its attacks on crowded Ukrainian cities Wednesday amid the possibility of resumed talks about the war.
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine War: What to know on Day 7 of Russian assaultRussia resumed its assault on Ukrainian citie s on Wednesday, including the second largest, Kharkiv, where a strike hit the regional police and intelligence headquarters, wounding three people, acc…
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine War: What to know on Day 7 of Russian assaultRoughly 874,000 people have fled Ukraine amid Russia's invasion. The U.N. refugee agency warned the number could cross the 1 million mark soon. Countless others have taken shelter underground.
Read more »