Biden threatens Xi with global retaliation if China assists Russia in attacking Ukraine.

• On Friday morning, Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden had a nearly two-hour conversation, primarily focusing on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
• Beijing has been requested for aid by Moscow in its war, and Biden aimed to convey the unfavorable outcomes that would result from Xi's agreement.
• Biden and Xi concurred on the need for peace in Ukraine, but differed on the party accountable for the Russian aggression.
• Putin's hand was forced by the United States, as Xi echoed one of Moscow's favorite talking points.

On Friday morning, President Biden had a nearly two-hour phone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The call with China was viewed as a crucial assessment of Biden's ability to persuade China to remain neutral in the conflict in Ukraine and to reject Russia's demands for military or economic support.

Both Biden and Xi agreed on the need to promote peace and assist with the humanitarian disaster created by the invasion. However, they had a significant disagreement on who is responsible for the suffering in Ukraine, with Xi refusing to hold Russia solely accountable for the unprovoked invasion.

Beijing's official readouts clarified that Xi believed the U.S. and Europe had provoked Putin into attacking Ukraine by expanding NATO into Eastern Europe.

Biden’s warning for Xi

The White House stated that during the call, Biden discussed the implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia.

Last week, officials from the Pentagon stated that Moscow had requested military and economic support from Beijing to fight its war against Ukraine, and that preliminary intelligence indicated that China had agreed.

After the call on Friday, neither the Chinese nor American officials confirmed if Biden had influenced Xi's views on Russia in any way.

The White House emphasized that Biden's objective was not to obtain direct assurances from Xi that China would not aid Russia, but rather to clarify the options available to Beijing.

On Friday afternoon, a senior administration official stated that the President presented a comprehensive plan for the unified response of governments and the private sector to Russia's aggression in Ukraine.

The official stated that Biden had made it clear that there would be consequences for those who supported Russia at the present time.

Beijing’s view of Ukraine

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs read out that Xi conveyed to Biden the responsibility of both the US and China to maintain peace in Ukraine.

Biden reportedly said to Xi that he does not want to see the Ukraine crisis.

Despite condemning the loss of life in Ukraine due to Russia's invasion, Xi refused to directly accuse Putin or the Kremlin of the conflict.

Putin's hand was forced by Europe and the United States, as Moscow often argues.

According to a longer readout of the call released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Xi told Biden that "the person who attached the bell to the tiger must remove it."

In Xi's opinion, Putin is the tiger and NATO is the one who tied the bell.

Biden was informed by China that its top priorities are to maintain dialogue and negotiations, minimize civilian casualties, prevent a humanitarian crisis, and end hostilities as soon as possible.

Beijing is prepared to offer more humanitarian aid to Ukraine and other affected regions, according to the state announcement.

The Chinese government announced that Xi mentioned a "six-point initiative on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine," but the foreign ministry did not provide specifics on the initiative's content.

The provision of humanitarian assistance by China to Ukraine suggests that Xi's unwavering alliance with Putin may be facing pressure.

Russia’s isolation

Both the Russian and Chinese governments publicly deny that Russia has sought assistance from China in fighting its war against Ukraine.

The economic sanctions imposed on Russia by NATO and G-7 countries due to the invasion have left the Kremlin isolated and desperate for financial aid and military supplies, according to some analysts.

According to defense officials, China seems to be considering providing military supplies to Russia, but there is little evidence to suggest that China will openly assist Moscow in avoiding economic sanctions.

Beijing shows little enthusiasm towards getting involved in the economic conflict between Russia and the developed world.

During a phone call with Spain's foreign minister on Monday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that China is not involved in the crisis and does not want the sanctions to impact China.

The call between Biden and Xi lasted for nearly two hours, which is longer than usual for a presidential call with a U.S. adversary.

The Chinese readout stated that Xi and Biden share the belief that China and the US should respect each other, live in peace, and avoid confrontation. Additionally, the two sides should increase communication and dialogue at all levels and in all fields.