Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he will engage in informal talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping later Thursday evening to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine. The discussions are anticipated to address the recent military developments in Ukraine's east.
Joining Putin and Xi Jinping in the talks will be Russia’s newly appointed Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, who recently replaced Sergei Shoigu in a significant military leadership reshuffle. Shoigu, now serving as the secretary of Russia’s Security Council, had been a close ally of Putin.
The decision to appoint Belousov as defense minister comes amidst notable progress made by Russian forces in eastern Ukraine. The increase in defense spending indicates that Russia is likely to maintain its strategy of overpowering Ukraine militarily.
