The Chinese president welcomed his Russian counterpart to the Great Hall of the People, kicking off two days of discussions on the war in Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East and economic and defense cooperation.
“This partnership is undoubtedly an example of what relations between neighboring states should be,” Putin said. “Our cooperation in global affairs is one of the main stabilizing factors on the world stage today,” he added, while ignoring his own role in ordering a large-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
China is ready to work with Russia to “uphold fairness and justice in the world,” Xi said. “Today’s China-Russia relations are hard-won, and both sides should cherish and nurture them. »
Putin is accompanied by senior officials, including new Defense Minister Andrei Belousov and former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, now secretary of the Security Council.
Discussions are expected to focus on growing defense cooperation between Russia and China. As Western sanctions hit the Russian economy, analysts anticipate discussions on how to handle these sanctions at meetings.
The two countries are “deepening peaceful nuclear cooperation,” Putin said, without providing further information.
Referring to Moscow’s ongoing war in Ukraine, Putin expressed gratitude to Xi and China for “the initiatives it was putting forward to resolve this issue.”
He added that the two men agreed to discuss foreign policy and the “Ukrainian crisis” in an informal meeting on Thursday evening.
Politico
