As leaders from around the world denounce Russia and Vladimir Putin for attacking Ukraine, Chinese leaders are remaining quiet and even deflecting the blame onto the United States.
On Thursday, China's Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs dodged questions about Russia and avoided calling the attack on Ukraine an "invasion."
Hua Chunying was repeatedly asked about the attack but she declined to characterize Russia's actions, saying instead that the situation "has a very complicated historical background," according to CNBC.
Hua also accused the United States of encouraging the conflict by providing military support to Ukraine.
"The U.S. has been fueling the flame, fanning up the flame, how do they want to put out the fire," Hua said. "We won't be like America and provide Ukraine a large amount of military equipment. Russia as a powerful nation also does not need China or other countries to provide [military assistance]."
That echoes comments she made the day before, again linking the U.S. to the conflict.
"A key question here is what role the U.S., the culprit of current tensions surrounding Ukraine, has played," Hua said Wednesday, according to The Washington Post. "If someone keeps pouring oil on the flame while accusing others of not doing their best to put out the fire, such kind of behavior is clearly irresponsible and immoral."
China, typically one of Russia's closest allies, is refusing to take sides in the matter and instead is calling on those involved to "exercise restraint to prevent the situation from getting out of control."
"We still hope that the parties concerned will not shut the door to peace and engage instead in dialogue and consultation and prevent the situation from further escalating," Hua said, according to the Washington Examiner.
After weeks of denying plans to invade, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday launched a large-scale attack in eastern Ukraine that he described as a "special military operation." Putin also threatened any nation that attempted to interfere with Russia's actions, promising to deliver "consequences they have never seen."
