The Ukraine crisis is a major challenge for China

 Hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in eastern Ukraine, the US accused Moscow and Beijing of combining to create a "profoundly illiberal" world order.

Yet State Department spokesman Ned Price also said that this was an opportunity for China to use its leverage with Russia to pull back Vladimir Putin, given the new "no limits" pact he signed with China's leader Xi Jinping on the same day as the Winter Olympic opening ceremony.

"You will have to ask the PRC whether they have used their own considerable influence with the Russian Federation to that end," Mr Price said at a press briefing.