Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing early on Thursday, May 16, for discussions with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.
According to reports by Euractiv, this visit, Putin's first foreign trip since his recent inauguration for another six-year term, is seen as a strategic move to solidify Russia's alliance with China against their common rival, the United States.
During his visit in February 2022, just before the onset of the Ukraine conflict, China and Russia announced a "no limits" partnership.
Now, with Europe witnessing its deadliest land conflict since World War II due to Russia's actions in Ukraine, Putin's choice to visit China sends a message to the world about the importance he places on Sino-Russian relations.
High-Level Talks and Strategic Agendas
Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov indicated that the informal settings of tea and dinner talks are expected to be key during the two-day visit.
The talks will also likely cover pressing issues such as the situation in Ukraine, regional dynamics in Asia, as well as energy and trade.
Putin's delegation includes newly appointed Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, and other high-ranking officials and business leaders. It remains uncertain if Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller, who was in Iran on Wednesday, will join the delegation in China.
This strategic dialogue occurs against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, where Putin claimed on Wednesday that Russian forces were making daily advancements. The Russian Defence Ministry also reported recent territorial gains in Ukraine's Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions.
