Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked the Chinese leader Xi Jinping on his efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine during their meeting in Beijing today, where the two leaders reiterated their "boundless partnership" that deepens in the context of Western pressure on both countries, the Associated Press reported. press, quoted by BTA.
Putin's two-day state visit to the country, which is among Russia's biggest allies, comes as Moscow's armed forces step up their offensive in northeastern Ukraine's Kharkiv region in the most decisive military action since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of the neighboring country, AP points out. Putin's visit, which the agency called "laden with symbolism", underscores the partnership between the two countries, which are facing tests in their relations with the US and Europe.
"Both countries want to show that despite everything happening internationally, despite the pressure the US is putting them under, they have no intention of turning their backs on each other in the foreseeable future,' Hoo Tien Boon, a professor of Chinese Foreign Policy at the Singapore Technical University "Nanyang".
While both Putin and Xi say they want the war in Ukraine to end, neither offered any new views on the issue today, the AP said, noting that China has significant influence over Russia, whose offensive in Ukraine supports. The agency recalls that, despite the declared neutral position in the conflict, Beijing stood behind Moscow's claims that it was provoked by the West to attack Kiev. China also continues to supply the Russian military industry with key raw materials.
AP points out that the peace plan proposed by China last year was rejected by both Ukraine and the West. "China hopes Europe will quickly return to peace and stability, and will continue to play a constructive role in achieving this goal," Xi Jinping said today at a joint press conference with Putin.
The Russian president, in turn, said that he would inform his Chinese counterpart in detail about the "situation in Ukraine". He also announced that he "appreciates the initiative of Chinese colleagues and friends to control the situation". Putin said foreign policy would be discussed between him and Xi in an informal meeting as well.
In general, today's meeting was another confirmation of the friendly "boundless" a partnership that was sealed by an agreement in 2022, just before Russia invaded Ukraine. “I and President Putin are unanimous that we must actively seek points of convergence of the interests of both countries, develop the advantages of each of them, and deepen integration with the interests of the other, respecting its achievements,“, Xi Jinping said.
The Chinese leader congratulated Putin on his re-election to a fifth term as president of Russia and welcomed the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the former Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China - after the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, summarizes AP.