At the start of his historic state visit to Russia on Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed confidence that his trip will give a “new impetus” to bilateral relations. Beijing and Moscow are “good neighbors” and “reliable partners”. Russian President Vladimir Putin received Xi at the Kremlin, calling each other a “best friend”. Meanwhile, Kiev urged Xi to urge Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
At the beginning of the conversation, Putin stated that Russia was open to negotiations in Ukraine. Moscow has familiarized itself with Beijing’s proposals and is ready to discuss them. Furthermore, Putin emphasized the similarities between the two countries. Moscow and Beijing have “many common tasks and goals,” Putin said. The Kremlin chief described the Chinese president’s first overseas trip to Russia in his new term as “symbolic”.
Xi, in turn, paid tribute to his country’s “close ties” with Russia. “We are partners in a comprehensive strategic cooperation,” said the Chinese head of state. Xi said he hopes the visit will give new impetus to relations between the two countries. China is ready to join Russia in defending a world order based on international law.
Visit is a coup for Putin
The visit from Beijing will serve Putin well, as he can show that he is not isolated internationally in the war. China has not condemned Russia’s war against Ukraine and is committed to peace negotiations. However, many Western heads of state and government believe that a peace plan presented by China is not very credible.
At the end of February, China published a position paper calling for dialogue in the conflict in Ukraine and respect for the territorial sovereignty of all countries. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the “issues raised in Beijing’s plan for Ukraine” will be “raised one way or another” during the negotiations.
Ukraine insists on sovereignty
The “first and most important clause of a formula for the successful implementation of the ‘Chinese peace plan'” is “the surrender or withdrawal of the Russian occupiers from Ukrainian territory,” the secretary of the Security and Defense Council of Ukraine said. Oleksiy Danilov, on Twitter.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called on Xi to use his influence with Putin to push for an end to the war. “We expect Beijing to use its influence on Moscow to convince it to end its aggressive war against Ukraine,” ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said.
Xi is confident in Putin’s election victory in 2024
According to Russian state media, the Chinese president drew attention to himself, after which he was confident that Putin will emerge victorious in next year’s presidential election – because Putin has not yet run for office. The 70-year-old did not respond to Xi’s words. “I know there will be presidential elections in your country next year. Thanks to your strong leadership, Russia has made significant progress in recent years towards the country’s success and prosperity. I am confident that the Russian people will support you in your good intentions,” Xi said at the beginning of the Kremlin meeting, according to the Russian translation.
The election is scheduled for March next year. The Kremlin denied that Xi said Putin was running for election. “President Xi has not said that Putin would participate in the elections,” said Kremlin spokesman Peskov. He previously expressed the belief that the Russians support Putin, and here one can only share his belief.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
