China’s imports of Kazakh oil increased by over 400% last year, and Mr. Xi publicly defended Kazakhstan’s decision to stay neutral rather than support Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Desperate to preserve his regime, Mr. Putin has made a Faustian bargain with his country’s long-term strategic competitor. As long as Mr. Putin remains in power, Russia will be economically and strategically subservient to China, the junior partner to an increasingly powerful Beijing.

Mr. Putin claimed his “special military operation” in Ukraine would be completed in a matter of days. Instead, one year into his misguided war of choice, Russia has spilled massive blood and treasure, will have to contend with an expanded NATO with new members on its border and has become an easy mark for Chinese exploitation.

The Russians have a saying: “One’s own shirt is closest to one’s skin.” China, over the past year, has been acting in its own self-interest - one that is counter to Russia’s national interests.

Ukraine has sacrificed more and accomplished more to halt Russia’s brazen aggression than any NATO member in the history of the alliance. And Kyiv is demonstrating to Mr. Putin’s detractors and his inner circle the folly of the decision to rely so heavily on Chinese goodwill in the fight.

NATO, of course, must carry on as the arsenal of democracy, supporting Ukraine’s right to self-defense and preventing a nuclear-armed state from successfully winning a war of territorial aggrandizement.

But let’s also keep in mind that this strategy can also serve our interests in another major way by exposing, stressing and puncturing the faux Sino-Russian “alliance.”