Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping has not discouraged Russian President Vladimir Putin from launching a major attack on Ukraine, according to Chinese and Russian officials.

“It seeks not only to smear and drive a wedge in China-Russia relations but also to deliberately disrupt and undermine the Beijing Winter Olympics,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters when asked by Russian state media if Xi had discouraged such an assault. “Such a despicable trick cannot fool the international community.”