China accuses U.S. of "creating panic" over Ukraine crisis and dismisses sanctions against Russia as ineffective

Beijing — China on Wednesday accused the United States of "raising tensions" and "creating panic" over the Ukraine crisis, shortly after Washington announced new sanctions against Moscow and said it would continue to supply weapons to help bolster Ukraine's defenses against a potential Russian invasion.

Beijing has trod a cautious line on Ukraine as Moscow has massed thousands of troops along the neighboring nation's borders. China criticized the West for imposing more sanctions after Russia ordered troops into two breakaway Ukrainian regions that Moscow now recognizes as independent.

President Joe Biden earlier stressed that the penalties were only a "first tranche," adding that more sanctions would come if Russian President Vladimir Putin extended his country's military grip beyond the two territories in the eastern Donbas region.