Given the situation, this is what the west will do, which is exactly how we got this mess in the first place. I highly doubt CCP will repeat the mistake. Xi didn't spend all these years courting Putin's friendship just to squander away the good wills like that. A friend in need is a friend indeed. I'm pretty sure Xi intends to demonstrate to Putin that China is the friend he can count on. China will assume a nurturing role instead of a dominating role in this partnership. In practical terms, it means China will stay neutral, avoiding getting entangled in any military conflicts on Russia's behave while supporting Russia through commercial trade, investment and economical aids. And these measures are likely non-predatory in nature in consideration of Russian sensitivity, a sensitivity that China shares. China is well aware of that (Putin's)Russia doesn't like to bow to anyone.
Events unfolded during the winter Olympics made me to believe Putin has finally hit the "f**k it" stage. The invasion of Ukraine cuts off Russia from the west and practically kills off any chance for a Reverse Nixon. This means Russia is now fully committed to the Russo-Sino partnership. By fully lean on China economically, China gets more market access to Russia and its sphere of influence. More importantly, Russia now has a vested interest in China's well being. Should China's fortune wane, so will Russia's. The strategic ramification is that Russia just might extend its nuclear umbrella to China should the need rises. China probably can hold its own against any nuclear power. But a Russia involvement would completely tip the balance scale. Should the partnership work out well, it might even afford Putin another trump card -- a full energy sanction on Europe, something the Soviet never did even at the height of the Cold War. Even more reasons for the Russians to be fully vested in China's well being.
Using video game analogy, Russia will be the warrior character in the fellowship that takes heat off China while China will be the spellcaster that cast buff/healing spells to make the warrior lasts longer than he would otherwise. Both can benefit from such partnership.
Yes, it's a strategic failure on Russia's part that they have to resort to violence, but I don't think things are that doom and gloom for the Russians. But for China, these are very auspicious developments. US might be a winner in the short term but I don't see many long term positives and I don't see any positive outcomes for Europe.
