China denies asking Russia not to invade Ukraine until post-Olympics, says allegation is 'very despicable'

China is the only major government that hasn’t criticised Moscow’s attack on Ukraine and has also ruled out joining the United States and European governments in imposing financial sanctions on Russia

Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin talk to each other during their meeting in Beijing on February 4, 2022. Picture: Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File

China has branded a report it asked Russia to delay invading Ukraine until after the Beijing Winter Olympics “fake news” and a “very despicable” attempt to divert attention and shift blame over the war.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin also repeated China’s accusations that Washington provoked the war by not ruling out Nato membership for Ukraine.