Face to face by video, President Joe Biden laid out to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday the stiff consequences the Chinese would face from the U.S. if they provide military or economic assistance for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

There was no indication he got any assurance in return.

In fact, Xi blamed the U.S. for the crisis and insisted with a Chinese proverb that the next move was up to Biden:

“He who tied the bell to the tiger must take it off,” Xi said, according to a Chinese government readout.

More formally after the nearly two-hour conversation, China’s Foreign Ministry deplored “conflict and confrontation” as “not in anyone’s interest,” but assigned no blame to Russia and said nothing of next steps.