Once Xi made his most recent commitments, Putin pulled the trigger. Xi’s pledges, made in a statement during a summit between the two leaders in early February, showed China adopting a new security stance in favor of Russia. “What was really new was China’s support for Russia’s stance against NATO enlargement. The statement says that China respects and supports Russia’s proposals for long-term legally binding security guarantees in Europe,” wrote Anna Kireeva of Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO University).

Not three weeks later, Xi witnessed, along with the rest of the world, exactly what he had signed up to – not just the carnage and destruction that his “best friend” is visiting upon Ukraine, but also the spontaneous, intense, and ongoing outrage being exhibited throughout the world in support of Ukraine, which has been valiant in its resolve and inspirational in its defense of its homeland.

That worldwide public demonstration of support for Ukraine and revulsion at Putin’s indiscriminate attacks are what led to the second important action that Xi took. At the beginning of March, China abstained from the U.N. vote to condemn Russia for its violent actions against Ukraine. That was an inconsistent choice for Xi to take, coming so closely on the heels of his public statements that the man fully responsible for devastation and death in Ukraine is his closest friend. Obviously, Xi had already seen the writing on the wall.