Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Russia in 2025, Moscow's ambassador to Beijing, Igor Morgulov, said today, quoted by Reuters and BTA.
According to him, plans for upcoming bilateral events are being actively prepared.
China's position
Morgulov added that it is known that Xi Jinping is of priority importance for relations between the two countries. At present, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has not responded to a request for confirmation of the information.
Historical context of relations
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China in February 2022, announcing a partnership "without restrictions". This meeting came days before the deployment of Russian troops to Ukraine. In May 2022, Putin was back in Beijing after winning a new term and declared a "new era" in relations focused on countering US policy.
Reaction to the international situation
Morgulov stressed that China, which has refrained from condemning Russia for the war in Ukraine, understands the root cause of the conflict, pointing out that both countries face challenges from the US and its allies. He noted that NATO "is developing plans to deploy its military infrastructure" in the region, calling on Russia and China to respond jointly to Washington's policies.
Peace Initiatives
China, in cooperation with Brazil, presented a peace plan for the war in Ukraine, including a call for a freeze on the battle lines and a statement of the two sides' security interests. Russia expressed support for this proposal, while Ukraine rejected the initiative as serving Moscow's interests, proposing its own plans for ending the conflict.
Current state of the conflict
Russian forces currently control about 20% of Ukraine's territory and have recently been advancing at the fastest pace since the beginning of the war.