In conversation with Xi Jinping, the Russian president reaffirms ties with Beijing after having cooled off relations with the West. The Chinese leader says his country is ready to increase “strategic cooperation” in global issues. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed in a video conference this Friday (30/12) with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, the intention to increase the military partnership between China and Russia and highlighted both nations’ role in resisting Western influence.
“We want to strengthen cooperation between the armed forces of Russia and China,” Putin said at the start of his talks with Xi, whom he called a “dear friend.”
With the country’s economy shaken by heavy sanctions imposed by the West due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Putin expects a closer relationship between Moscow and Beijing.
But issues related to the conflict are seen as a sensitive issue by the Chinese government. China is trying to position itself in a position of neutrality, even though Beijing has offered diplomatic support to Moscow. The Chinese government has avoided publicly condemning Russia for its aggression in Ukraine.
Xi told Putin the road to peace talks for a possible resolution of the conflict will be far from smooth, and said China would maintain its “objective and fair” stance on the conflict.
He stressed Russia’s willingness to start negotiations with Ukraine. “China is aware that Russia says it has never refused to resolve the conflict through diplomatic negotiations, to which we express our recognition,” Xi said, quoted by Chinese broadcaster CCTV.
The Chinese leader said the two countries should coordinate and work together on international issues.
global tensions
The distrust Putin and Xi share in the United States and its allies in recent years has brought the two leaders closer together. In early February, weeks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the two countries declared a “borderless” strategic partnership, which raised alarm bells in the West.
However, after the invasion of Ukraine, Beijing declared that it would not participate in the conflict in any way. In September, after a string of Russian setbacks on battlefronts, Putin admitted Xi had “doubts and concerns” about the war.
Putin also praised the two nations’ efforts to counter what he called “unprecedented pressure and provocation” from the West. “Against the backdrop of growing geopolitical tensions, the importance of the Sino-Russian strategic partnership as a stabilizing factor is increasing,” the Russian leader said.
“We share the same views regarding the causes, course and rationale of the current transformations of the global geopolitical environment,” he added.
After several Western nations moved to reduce reliance on Russian oil and natural gas, Putin shifted his focus to Asian energy markets, with Russia becoming China’s main energy supplier.
Putin said he looked forward to welcoming Xi Jinping to Moscow for a state visit in a few months, in a public show of solidarity, to “show the world the closeness of Sino-Russian relations”.
Xi, for his part, said his country was ready to increase strategic cooperation with Moscow in what he called difficult global circumstances.
rc (AFP, Reuters)
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Source: Terra
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
