China has called the United States the "main instigators" of the war in Ukraine.

In an interview with Russia's state news agency Tass, China's ambassador to Moscow, Zhang Hanhui, said NATO expansion and pro-EU support over pro-Moscow forces had backed Russia into a corner.

"As the main initiator and instigator of the Ukrainian crisis, Washington, while imposing unprecedented comprehensive sanctions on Russia, continues to supply Ukraine with weapons and military equipment," Zhang was quoted as saying.

"Their ultimate goal is to wear down and crush Russia with a protracted war and sanctions," he added,

reports .

NATO expansion is one of the justifications presented by Moscow for invading its neighbor.

Relations between Moscow and Beijing had entered the "best period in history", the Chinese ambassador said.

Zhang also criticized US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan last week.

Washington was trying to apply the same tactics in Ukraine and Taiwan to "revive a Cold War mentality, contain China and Russia and provoke great power rivalry and confrontation," he said.