A Western intelligence report reveals that senior Chinese officials told senior Russian officials in early February not to invade Ukraine before the end of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, NY Times reports.

The report indicates that senior Chinese officials had prior knowledge of Russian intentions to invade Ukraine. During a meeting between Putin and Xi Jinping, Russia and China issued a joint statement declaring that their partnership had no limits, denouncing the extension of NATO extension and advocating a new global order with true ‘democracy.

China held the closing ceremony of the Olympics on Feb. 20. On Feb. 24, the Russian military began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including attacks on Ukrainian cities with ballistic missiles, artillery shells, and tank units.