Putin, Xi Talk War In Ukraine As They Boast Stronger China-Russia Ties
According to RFE/RL, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised his strengthening partnership with China during a state visit to Beijing where Chinese leader Xi Jinping pledged to play a constructive role in helping Europe return to “peace and stability.”
The two leaders -- who declared a “no limits” partnership between their country shortly before Moscow’s February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine -- said during a joint appearance on May 16 that they signed new documents to deepen cooperation between their countries.
Putin, who is looking for more support to sustain his country’s isolated economy and war machine in Ukraine, said their relationship is “one of the main stabilizing factors in the international arena.”
Xi said the two countries were furthering their relationship as “good neighbors, good friends, good partners,” and that both he and Putin agreed on the need for a “political solution” to the war in Ukraine.
“China hopes for the early return of Europe to peace and stability and will continue to play a constructive role toward this,” Xi said, speaking alongside Putin.
Despite expressing neutrality towards the war in Ukraine, China has emerged as the Kremlin's leading international supporter by supplying Russia with key components that Moscow needs for its productions of weapons and as a vital consumer for oil and gas that has helped boost the Russian economy.
The high-profile state visit comes as Russian forces have made small advances on the battlefield and pressed an offensive in northeastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, already forcing almost 8,000 people to flee their homes.
In February 2023, China offered a broad 12-point plan for peace outlining general principles for ending the war in Ukraine, but didn’t offer new specifics on how Beijing might be prepared to engage with both sides of the conflict.
On the eve of Putin’s departure to Beijing, he said in an interview with China’s state-run official Xinhua News Agency that the Kremlin was willing to begin negotiations over Ukraine under certain conditions.
“We are open to a dialogue on Ukraine, but such negotiations must take into account the interests of all countries involved in the conflict, including ours,” Putin was quoted as saying in a written interview.
