The Chinese Foreign Ministry has accused the Biden administration of intentionally provoking tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Before launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Wednesday, Russian president Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of two separatist “republics” in eastern Ukraine and deployed “peacekeepers” to the region.

The United States characterized Putin’s actions as a violation of international law, noting that Russian troops would be positioned on territory that all other nations recognized as belonging to Ukraine. The White House has imposed sanctions against Russian officials and banks in an effort to punish Moscow for its entry into Ukraine.

However, Chinese assistant foreign minister Hua Chunying argued that the United States was partially to blame for the escalation, suggesting during a press briefing that Washington had "been sending weapons to Ukraine, heightening tensions, creating panic and even hyping up the possibility of warfare."

"A key question is what role the U.S.—the culprit of current tensions surrounding Ukraine—has played," Hua told reporters. "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."

Hua noted that Washington’s immediate response to the Russian deployment had been the imposition of sanctions, which she characterized as “never fundamentally effective means to solve problems.”

“We consistently oppose all illegal unilateral sanctions,” Hua said, observing that U.S. sanctions on other countries have had significant humanitarian consequences.

In her remarks, Hua sought to head off comparisons between the situation in Ukraine and the contentious issue of Taiwan, which Beijing views as a renegade province.

“Taiwan for sure is not Ukraine,” Hua said. “Taiwan has always been an inalienable part of China’s territory. This is an indisputable historical and legal fact.” “The one-China principle is a universally recognized norm governing international relations,” she added, observing that February 2022 marked the fiftieth anniversary of President Richard Nixon’s visit to China, during which Washington announced its support for the One China policy.

While Hua stopped short of defending Russia’s conduct, she insisted that the United States could not “harm the legitimate rights and interests of China and other parties.”

Trevor Filseth is a current and foreign affairs writer for the National Interest.

Image: Reuters.