China Denies Prior Knowledge Of Ukraine Attack, Warns US About ‘Fateful Error’

The government of China has debunked a western intelligence report that accused senior Chinese officials of having prior knowledge of Russia’s plans to invade Ukraine.

The New York Times, while citing an intelligence within the United States government and a European country, reported that “senior Chinese officials told senior Russian officials in early February not to invade Ukraine before the end of the Winter Olympics in Beijing.”

But Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson of China Ministry of Foreign Affairs, denied the report during a press briefing on Thursday.

Tactically, he accused the US of causing the escalation between Russia and Ukraine.

Wenbin said the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, in Europe is the cause of the crisis.

“The report by the New York Times is pure fake news. Such practice of diverting attention and blameshifting is despicable.

“International media lately raised many times that George Kennan, former US ambassador to the Soviet Union suggested to the US government in 1990s that expanding NATO up to Russia’s borders would be the most fateful error of American policy.

“Regrettably, the US government turned all deaf ear to this.

“Thomas Friedman, famous US expert on international relations, recently wrote in an article that ill-considered decision by the US to expand NATO has undermined the relations with Russia and the US government in early years deserves much of the blame.

“Tulsi Gabbard, former member of the US House of Representatives, said that the crisis could have been ended and the war easily avoided if President Biden had simply promised not to accept Ukraine becoming a member of NATO,”he said.

He urged the US to admit its errors and not shift blames.

“But people concerned chose not to do so. Those who created the problem should be the ones to undo it. We hope the culprits of the crisis can reflect upon their roles in the Ukraine crisis, earnestly shoulder due responsibilities and take real actions to resolve the problem instead of shifting the blame to others,” he said.

China recently abstained from voting against the Russian aggression in Ukraine but called for dialogue among the warring parties.