Summary of the day …
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said the situation remains “extremely difficult” as he travelled to Kharkiv on Thursday, days after Russia opened up a new front in the war with an incursion across the border in the north of the region. Zelenskiy said “As of today, the situation in Kharkiv oblast is generally under control, our soldiers are inflicting significant losses on the occupier. But the direction remains extremely difficult – we are strengthening our units.”
A Ukrainian military spokesperson said “The situation in the Kharkiv sector remains complicated but is evolving in a dynamic manner”. They added “Our defence forces have partially stabilised the situation. The advance of the enemy in certain zones and localities has been halted.”
Russian president Vladimir Putin has thanked his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for what he said was China’s role in trying to solve the Ukraine crisis. Russian state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Putin as saying that Russia-China relations are “not directed against anyone. Our cooperation in world affairs today is one of the main stabilising factors in the international arena.”
Putin arrived in Beijing early on Thursday for talks and the two leaders signed an agreement to deepen mutual ties. Xi said the two countries were furthering their relationship as “good neighbours, good friends, good partners”, and that China hopes for the speedy restoration of peace and stability in Europe.
News agency AFP has estimated that Russian forces have advanced 278 square kilometres in their week-old offensive in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region and in the south, which represents their biggest gains in a year-and-a-half of grinding warfare. Its analysis of data produced by the the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) claims that since the start of 2024, Russian forces have taken about 800 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory - more than the about 600 square kilometres gained in all of 2023.
The regional head of Kharkiv, Oleh Syniehubov, has claimed Russia used cluster munitions on the northern city of Vovchansk as part of its attempt to widen the new front there. The claims have not been independently verified.
Russia’s defence ministry has claimed it thwarted an attack by 11 Ukrainian naval drones in the Black Sea which were approaching Crimea, which Russia unilaterally annexed in 2014.
Denmark has announced a package of €750m (£643m / $815m) in military support for Ukraine.
Sri Lanka will dispatch a high-level delegation to Russia to investigate the fate of hundreds of nationals reportedly fighting in the war in Ukraine, a top official has said.
Russian media, citing Russia’s defence ministry, is reporting that an approach by 11 unmanned Ukrainian naval vehicles in the Black Sea approaching Crimea has been repelled, with all of the drone boats destroyed.
Russia unilaterally annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.
The claims have not been independently verified.
Denmark has announced a package of €750m (£643m / $815m) in military support for Ukraine. In a post to social media, Denmark’s foreign ministry said the package involved “bolstering their air defence and artillery” and that Denmark was also looking for opportunities to invest in Ukraine’s defence industry.
🇩🇰UM @larsloekke: "Godt at kunne annoncere en ny militær donationspakke til Ukraine på 5,6 milliarder kr. med fokus på luftforsvar og artilleri. 🇩🇰reserverer også flere midler til muligheden for investereringer i 🇺🇦’s forsvarsindustri. Danmark står fuldt og helt bag Ukraine.” pic.twitter.com/MU8WNd7BLi
— Denmark MFA 🇩🇰 (@DanishMFA) May 16, 2024
In a message on the Telegram app, the regional head of Kharkiv, Oleh Syniehubov, has claimed that Russia has fired cluster munitions at the northern city of Vovchansk, injuring five people. One of the injured appears, from the initial report, to have been the head of the city military administration.
More details soon …
Here is a video clip of the earlier meeting between Russia’s president Vladimir Putin and China’s president Xi Jinping. Putin told a joint press conference that he was “grateful to our Chinese friends and colleagues for the initiatives they put forward to solve the Ukrainian problem.”
Sri Lanka to send delegation to Russia to investigate fate of nationals who fought
Sri Lanka will dispatch a high-level delegation to Russia to investigate the fate of hundreds of nationals reportedly fighting in the war in Ukraine, a top official has said.
Social media campaigns via WhatsApp have targeted ex-military personnel with promises of lucrative salaries and promises of citizenship, the Defence Ministry has said, warning its nationals not to be duped.
The messages, sent by Sri Lankan nationals, provide a number to agents, who then arrange the documentation and the flights.
The campaigns have proved appealing as Sri Lanka struggles to emerge from its worst financial crisis in more than seven decades, which has doubled poverty rates from pre-pandemic levels and pushed hundreds of people to migrate.
Earlier this month, Sri Lankan authorities launched investigations into reports of its citizens, mostly with military training, being trafficked to fight in the war in Ukraine, said State Minister for Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya.
“The primary challenge lies in determining the exact number of individuals in Russia. As per unofficial sources, approximately 600-800 Sri Lankan individuals are in Russia,” he told reporters.
Russia’s embassy in Colombo did not immediately reply to a request for comment and in the past Moscow has not responded to repeated requests from Reuters on this issue.
The Guardian has reported on how hundreds of young Indian and Nepali men have also been ending up on the frontlines of the war in Ukraine.
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The airport in the southern Russian city of Stavropol has been closed “due to restrictions on the use of airspace”, Russia’s TASS news agency has reported.
Updated
Georgia’s President, Salome Zourabichvili, has said that a “foreign influence” bill passed by parliament that critics call a threat to free speech is “unacceptable.”
In an interview with The Associated Press, she harshly criticised the ruling Georgian Dream party for pushing the bill that also is widely seen as a threat to Georgia’s aspirations to join the European Union.
Huge crowds of protesters have blocked streets in the capital of Tbilisi and milled angrily outside the parliament building after lawmakers approved the legislation despite strong criticism from the US and the European Union. Zourabichvili, who is increasingly at odds with the governing party, vows to veto the bill, but Georgian Dream has enough votes to override her.
The opposition has denounced the bill as “the Russian law” because Moscow uses similar legislation to crack down on independent news media, nonprofits and activists critical of the Kremlin.
Our defence and security editor Dan Sabbagh has this analysis of the current military situation in Ukraine:
Russia’s attack across the border north and north-west of Kharkiv was telegraphed by Moscow, predicted by western intelligence and anticipated by Ukraine. The fact that Russian forces have been able to advance about 4 miles at multiple points in five days raises serious questions about Kyiv’s ability to defend itself.
An intention to create “a sanitary zone” along the border inside Ukraine was signalled by Vladimir Putin in March. A month later Sergei Lavrov, the foreign minister, highlighted that Kharkiv had an “important role” in such a strategy as the region was reeling from bombing that had knocked out two power stations on 22 March.
At the same time, Moscow’s military had been building up its new Northern Group of forces, estimated by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) at 30,000 strong, in Russia’s Belgorod region. Last week, two days before the dawn assault, Kharkiv’s regional governor said a massing of forces had been spotted.
A warning was also passed, one source added, from UK defence intelligence to Ukraine’s leadership. So when on 5am last Friday, somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 Russian soldiers crossed the border at two key points, it might have been expected that the attack would be swiftly repulsed.
In fact, Ukraine’s defensive lines were thin to absent. At Vovchansk, less than 40 miles north-west of Kharkiv, “the first line of fortifications and mines just didn’t exist”, wrote Ukrainian commander Denys Yaroslavsky on Sunday, while a Ukrainian veteran with contacts in region said “units were simply not prepared to fight” and defences “not properly positioned”.
Read more of Dan Sabbagh’s analysis here: Ukraine’s defences thin on ground as Russia advances on Kharkiv
Zelenskiy travels to Kharkiv amid Russian offensive in region's north
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy travelled to Kharkiv on Thursday, days after Russia opened up a new front in the war with an incursion across the border in the north of the region.
Zelenskiy posted to Telegram to say that he had held a meeting there with senior leaders, posting that:
As of today, the situation in Kharkiv oblast is generally under control, our soldiers are inflicting significant losses on the occupier. But the direction remains extremely difficult – we are strengthening our units.
He said that during the meeting, which included commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, discussions included “in detail the prospects of the combat situation, the threats in the coming days and weeks, and our, Ukrainian, opportunities to counter Russian offensive plans.”
AFP is reporting that by its estimates, Russian forces have advanced 278 square kilometres in their week-old offensive in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region and in the south, which represents their biggest gains in a year-and-a-half of grinding warfare.
Its analysis of data produced by the the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) claims that since the start of 2024, Russian forces have taken about 800 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory - more than the about 600 square kilometres gained in all of 2023.
The changes to the frontline, which had barely budged in over a year, remain limited however, the analysis says, with Russia’s gains accounting for less than one percent of the Ukrainian territory under Moscow’s control.
AFP says its calculations are based on files published daily by the US-based ISW, which produces data based on information published by both parties to the war as well as on satellite images of Ukraine.
Ukraine claims to have reduced the tempo of Russian offensive in Kharkiv
The Ukrainian military said its defensive actions had forced Russian troops to reduce the tempo of their offensive in Kharkiv region’s north on Thursday.
The military said it continued combat in the northern part of the city of Vovchansk in Kharkiv region, with the situation under control, Reuters report.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in a report published yesterday that it did not believe Russia forces had advanced more than eight kilometres inside Ukraine from the Russian border with its new northern incursion.
AFP quoted a Ukrainian military spokesperson saying “The situation in the Kharkiv sector remains complicated but is evolving in a dynamic manner. Our defence forces have partially stabilised the situation. The advance of the enemy in certain zones and localities has been halted.”
It reported they added Russian forces were “always trying to create conditions for new advances” and added that Kyiv’s troops were “trying to stabilise the situation, inflict damage and prevent the enemy from gaining ground”.
The claims have not been independently verified.
Ukrinform reports, citing Oleh Syniehubov, the head of the Kharkiv region, that in the past 24 hours one person was killed and 13 others were injured in the region. He said overnight a five-storey building and eight cars were damaged in Kharkiv by a missile strike.
Vyacheslav Volodin, the chair of the Duma in Russia, has warned that Ukraine is dragging the US and Europe into a big war, and western leaders needed to avoid a major global catastrophe, according to Reuters.
Tass quoted him saying that any use of western weapons against peaceful Russian cities will entail the retaliatory use of more powerful weapons to protect Russians.
Volodin is also reported to have said that the state Duma is ready to help the new defence minister, Andrei Belousov.
Russia claims to have detained two Ukrainian agents accused of sabotage in Crimea
Russia’s Federal Security Service said on Thursday it had detained Ukrainian agents in Crimea, which Russia unilaterally annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
One of them admitted to having transferred information on air defence systems protecting the Crimean Bridge, Reuters reports, citing Russian state news agency RIA.
State-owned news agency Tass is also reporting that the pair had attempted to blow up railway lines on the peninsula.
Putin says relationship between Russia and China is 'one of main stabilising factors in international arena'
Russian president Vladimir Putin has thanked his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for what he said was China’s role in trying to solve the Ukraine crisis.
In a joint appearance in Beijing, the two leaders and other senior officials from both sides signed documents on deepening mutual cooperation between the two countries.
Putin said negotiations between the two delegations had been warm and businesslike.
Russian state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Putin as saying that Russia-China relations are “not directed against anyone. Our cooperation in world affairs today is one of the main stabilising factors in the international arena,” and Putin complimented Xi on China’s belt and road initiative.
Putin said “Together, we uphold the principles of justice and a democratic world order that reflects multipolar realities and is based on international law.”
Xi said the two countries were furthering their relationship as “good neighbours, good friends, good partners”, and that China hopes for the speedy restoration of peace and stability in Europe. He said his country would continue to play a constructive role.
Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have shaken hands and the joint event in Beijing is over.
In a lengthy speech at this event in Beijing, Russia’s president Vladimir Putin has said that business contacts between Russia and China are “reliably protected from the negative influence of third countries”, which can be taken to be a swipe at US-led sanctions against the Russian economy after its invasion of Ukraine.
He also said that Russian and Chinese banks would be strengthening their contacts.
Russian state-owned media RIA has quoted the opening of Putin’s speech, saying that the Russian president thanked Xi for the warm welcome in China, and said talks had been conducted in a friendly and businesslike atmosphere. He said Moscow and Beijing attach great importance to the partnership.
China and Russia will deepen political mutual trust, Xi Jinping tells Putin
Tass has summarised Xi Jinping’s speech on its Telegram news feed, reporting that China’s president said:
China and Russian will adhere to the principles of non-alignment and non-confrontation against third countries. China and Russia will deepen political mutual trust. China and Russia will support the emergence of a multipolar world. China and Russia demonstrate an example of building a new type of relationship and connections between neighbours. China and Russia defend a world order based on international law.
Vladimir Putin is speaking next.
Updated
Tass is reporting that the two leaders and their teams had two-and-a-half hours of negotiations prior to the document signing to complete the details.
After several signing ceremonies, Xi is talking first at a joint event with Putin in Beijing.
Other Chinese and Russian officials are now signing documents in front of Xi and Putin at the event.
Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have begun a joint event in Beijing. They have been warmly applauded by attendees as they arrived. We will bring you any key lines that emerge. They have begun by signing a document on deepening the strategic partnership between the two nations, which has also been warmly greeted.
Summary
It’s 2pm in Beijing, where Russian president Vladimir Putin has arrived for a two day state visit that will see him hold meetings with Chinese president Xi Jinping.
Putin arrived in Beijing early on Thursday for talks that the Kremlin said would deepen the strategic partnership with China. Chinese state media confirmed the Russian president’s arrival for what it described as a state visit from an “old friend”.
At a welcoming ceremony outside central Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, Xi greeted Putin while artillery fired a multi-gun salute. China remains by far the most powerful of Russia’s friends in the world and has acted as a lifeline for Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Speaking during his meeting with Xi, Putin said that Russia-China cooperation is not directed against any other power and is a stabilising factor for the world. Xi noted the two leaders had met more than 40 times and that the China-Russia relationship was “worth cherishing and safeguarding by both sides”.
Russian news agencies said that the bilateral talks planned to focus on trade and economic cooperation. Analysts say that the two sides will be looking for ways to quietly circumvent US restrictions that have driven down Chinese exports to Russia following a postwar boom in both consumer products and dual-use goods that have been crucial to the Russian war machine in Ukraine.
Speaking to Chinese state media before the visit, Putin praised China for its initiatives to resolve “the crisis in Ukraine”. The Russian president also criticised “western elites” in their efforts to “isolate and weaken” Russia.
Both leaders will participate in a gala celebrating 75 years since the Soviet Union recognised the People’s Republic of China, which Mao Zedong declared in 1949. The second stage of the state visit will take place in the city of Harbin, where Putin will attend the opening ceremony of the eighth Russian-Chinese expo and the fourth Russia-China Forum on interregional cooperation.
Among the vast number of officials in the Russian delegation is Putin’s new defence minister, Andrei Belousov.
Earlier this week Putin removed his longtime ally, Sergei Shoigu, as defence minister, replacing him with Belousov. Analysts have called it the most significant reshuffle to the military command since Russian troops invaded Ukraine more than two years ago.
A Putin loyalist, Belousov is a veteran economist and former counterpart to Ding Xuexiang, a close ally of Xi Jinping and a member of China’s politburo standing committee
It’s likely both men will be involved in upcoming meetings to discuss economic cooperation.
Alexander Gabuev, the director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, says that both countries have invested a lot of effort to really get their teams acquainted and establish personal bonds.
Now the Russian officials are not pulled in a thousand different directions … because nobody talks to them.”
Former defence minister Shoigu is also among the Russian delegation to China, in his position as head of Russia’s powerful security council.
Updated
Putin says 90% of payments between China and Russia are made in their national currencies
The “timely” decision of Russian and Chinese authorities to make settlements in their national currencies beefed up trade between the countries, Vladimir Putin told Xi Jinping at a meeting in Beijing on Thursday.
Today, 90% of all payments are already made in roubles and yuan.”
After Russia launched its invasions of Ukraine in February 2022, western countries agreed to remove “selected Russian banks” from Swift – the world’s main international payments network – with the aim of hitting Russian trade and making it harder for its companies to do business.
At the time there were fears that such a move could damage the US dollar’s status as the global reserve currency, and accelerate the use of alternative currencies. However, more than two years later the dollar and dollar payment systems remain overwhelmingly dominant.
Its expected that Putin and Xi will use this state visit to find workarounds that could allow them to continue to expand trade away from the watchful eye of the US.
“When it comes to economics, the most critical question is the payment issue,” said Alexey Maslov, director of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences.
China’s major banks are throttling payments out of concern over US sanctions, Maslov said, and Russia has proposed to solve the issue via a decentralised payment system that the west would be unable to track. “Both sides will look for sanctions-proof mechanisms going forward,” said Maslov.
Speaking during his meeting with Xi, Putin said that both countries would also try to establish closer cooperation in the fields of “industry and high technology, space and peaceful nuclear energy, artificial intelligence, renewable energy sources and other innovative sectors.”
Kremlin responds to Swiss proposal for Ukraine peace summit
As Vladimir Putin continues to meet with Xi Jinping in Beijing, the Kremlin has labelled a planned Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland as “futile” without the participation of Russia.
“Without Russia, discussing security issues that concern us is absolutely futile,” Kremlin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by Russia’s Tass state news agency.
Most likely, it will be just empty scholasticism with no prospect of getting at least some tangible result.”
The peace summit planned by Switzerland has so far drawn delegations from more than 50 countries, the Swiss president, Viola Amherd, has said.
Russia has not been invited, but Switzerland says it might be if Moscow had not repeatedly stated it is not interested. The Ukrainian government has said Russia does not negotiate in good faith.
Putin’s two-day trip comes as comes at a critical point in Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
Russia’s forces have pressed an offensive in the north-eastern Kharkiv region, in the most significant border incursion since the full-scale invasion began, forcing almost 8,000 people to flee their homes.
At the same time, Ukraine’s depleted military is awaiting new supplies of anti-aircraft missiles and artillery shells from the United States.
On Wednesday, president Volodymyr Zelenskiy postponed all foreign trips, as Ukrainian troops withdrew from several areas in the north-east.
Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address on Tuesday that the army had sent reinforcements to the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions. “It is too early to draw conclusions, but the situation is under control,” he said.
Russia is opening new fronts in order to stretch Ukraine’s army, which is short of ammunition and manpower, along the approximately 620 miles (1,000-km) frontline, hoping defences will crumble. Russian artillery and sabotage raids have also been menacing Ukraine’s northern Chernihiv and Sumy regions.
US secretary of state Antony Blinken – who has been in Kyiv this week – has sought to reassure Ukraine of continuing American support, announcing a $2bn arms deal.
I know this is a really, really difficult time. Your soldiers, your citizens, particularly in the north-east in Kharkiv, are suffering tremendously … you need to know, the United States is with you, so much of the world is with you. And they’re fighting not just for a free Ukraine but for the free world, and the free world is with you too.”
Russia-China cooperation not 'directed against anyone'
Vladimir Putin has said that Russia-China cooperation is not directed against any other power and is a stabilising factor for the world, during his meeting with Xi Jinping.
It is of crucial significance that relations between Russia and China are not opportunistic and are not directed against anyone. Our cooperation in world affairs today acts as one of the main stabilising factors in the international arena.”
Putin said he was “happy to be in China among our friends”.
In televised remarks, Xi noted the two leaders had met more than 40 times, but that the China-Russia relationship had “not come easily” and was “worth cherishing and safeguarding by both sides”.
In our new journey we intend to remain good neighbours, trusted friends and reliable partners, consistently strengthening the relationship between our two nations … defending international equality.”
Russia has become increasingly economically dependent on China, after western sanctions imposed after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine cut its access to much of the international trading system.
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Chinese state media praise Moscow-Beijing ties
As Putin’s state visit gets under way, Chinese state media is awash with news articles and comments pieces praising the relationship between the two countries.
China’s Global Times published a report saying China and Russia’s economic and trade relationship has been “thriving on all fronts despite global challenges”.
It is expected that the two countries could see further improvement in their bilateral trade structure this year, with trade volume projected to reach new heights.”
China-Russia trade has boomed since Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022, but after Washington vowed to go after financial institutions that help Russia’s economy, Chinese exports to Russia have dipped in recent months.
An executive order from US president Joe Biden in December permits secondary sanctions on foreign banks that deal with Russia’s war machine, allowing the US Treasury to cut them out of the dollar-led global financial system.
That, coupled with recent efforts to rebuild fractured ties with the United States, may make Beijing reluctant to openly push more cooperation with Russia, analysts have said.
According to Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin, some Chinese banks are “operating on better-be-safe-than-sorry principles, which reduces the volume of transactions”.
“Finding out whether the payments are related to the Russian military-industrial complex … is creating a considerable challenge for Chinese companies and banks,” he told the AFP news agency.
In his interview with Xinhua state news agency released on Wednesday, Putin praised Russia’s economic ties with China, saying: “Today, Russia-China relations have reached the highest level ever, and despite the difficult global situation continue to get stronger.”
However, according to Alexander Gabuev, the director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Russia has few other options.
Only China can bring in all this technology, from washing machines and cars to military-grade chips. Only China can provide its financial system and currency. Only China has this side of the market for all of these goods. India stands close to this, but China is bigger. And then there are the logistics. So there is simply no replacement.”
US sanctions and Chinese fears of secondary sanctions have taken a toll though, with a clear dip in Chinese exports after US threats in December to impose sanctions on any bank clearing payments for goods used in Russian military production.
Chinese exports to Russia have dropped significantly in recent months after more than two years of booming bilateral trade.
Alexandra Prokopenko, a fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center and former adviser to the Russian central bank, says that Russia and China would probably use the summit to brainstorm options to circumvent US restrictions before quietly implementing them, potentially developing tools that could be used by other countries seeking to evade US restrictions on trade.
Putin meets with Xi as his two day visit to China gets underway
Xi Jinping has welcomed Vladimir Putin at the start of his two-day state visit.
They shook hands at a welcoming ceremony outside central Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, after Putin’s arrival in Beijing at dawn. Members of the People’s Liberation Army stood at attention while artillery fired a multi-gun salute during the ceremony.
Putin, Xi and other top officials are expected to hold meetings later that will emphasise their commitment to the “no limits” relationship.
The national anthems of both countries blared out as the two leaders met, while dozens of large Russian and Chinese flags fluttered around Tiananmen Square amid police patrols.
Putin and Xi have met over 40 times; the Chinese president last travelled to Moscow in March 2023, while Putin went to Beijing in October for a summit of China’s belt and road initiative.
Later on, both leaders will participate in a gala celebration of 75 years since the Soviet Union recognised the People’s Republic of China, which Mao Zedong declared in 1949.
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China, once the junior partner of Moscow in the global Communist hierarchy, remains by far the most powerful of Russia’s friends in the world. The two countries ties have only grown in the two years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which triggered the deadliest land war in Europe since the second world war.
Days before that invasion, China and Russia declared a “no limits” partnership when Putin visited Beijing.
Their partnership has increasingly come under pressure as the Biden administration seeks to isolate Russia from its Chinese lifeline. The West says China has played a crucial role in helping Russia withstand sanctions and has supplied key technology which Russia has used on the battlefield in Ukraine.
A year ago, China published a peace plan for Ukraine, which contained few concrete measures for solving the crisis.
At the time China was trying to position itself as a peacemaker, but analysts in China and Russia say that a year on from that proposal – and despite preferring a quick end to the fighting in Ukraine – Beijing would tolerate the war and continue to prioritise trade and diplomatic relations with Moscow over the west while seeking to extract favourable conditions for greater trade and economic ties.
Analysts say that Russia, which has signalled it is unwilling to abandon the war, will become increasingly dependent on China as a trade partner and as a key diplomatic ally in its deepening conflict with the west.
The ‘no-limits’ friendship between Putin and Xi
Putin’s relationship with Xi first took shape in May of 2014 when the Russian leader travelled to Beijing for a two-day state visit to discuss a major gas supply deal. The visit came on the heels of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, causing Moscow to be shunned by much of the western world.
Xi promptly returned the favour by visiting Moscow and sitting alongside Putin during the city’s Victory Parade, which celebrates its win over Nazi Germany. The parade was boycotted by western leaders as Russian-backed rebels seized territory in eastern Ukraine.
In the autumn of 2018, both countries celebrated their newfound military cooperation as China participated for the first time in large-scale strategic drills hosted by Moscow.
At the height of the US-China trade war in 2019, Xi flew to Moscow and praised Putin as his “best friend”. During the visit, the Kremlin announced that trade between Russia and China grew almost 25% over 2018. Xi ended the trip by giving Putin two pandas for the Moscow zoo.
Weeks before Putin sent his troops to invade Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the Russian leader flew to Beijing where the two leaders famously celebrated their “no-limits” friendship.
In an unmistakable show of support for Putin after his decision to invade Ukraine, Xi travelled to Moscow in the spring of 2023. Amid Moscow’s increasing isolation from the west, the three-day summit underscored the Kremlin’s growing economic dependence on Beijing, as bilateral trade between the two countries surged.
Russia-China talks set to take in trade, sanctions and military cooperation
Russian news agency Tass reports that Russia’s president has brought a large delegation consisting of five deputy prime ministers, heads of economic, diplomatic and security agencies, as well as the heads of some Russian state energy companies.
Tass says that the bilateral talks are planned to focus on trade and economic cooperation. The two sides will be looking for ways to quietly circumvent US restrictions that have driven down Chinese exports to Russia following a postwar boom in both consumer products and dual-use goods that have been crucial to the Russian war machine in Ukraine.
Biden administration tariffs on $18bn of Chinese imports that were unviled on Tuesday, will likely be a topic of conversations as well.
Tass reports that the second stage of the state visit will take place in the city of Harbin, where Putin will attend the opening ceremony of the eighth Russian-Chinese expo and the fourth Russia-China Forum on interregional cooperation.
Yury Ushakov, a Russian presidential foreign policy aide, told Tass that China was not randomly chosen for the president’s first foreign trip, but as a response to a similar gesture of friendship made by Chinese president Xi Jinping last year.
Russia’s ministry of foreign affairs has tweeted this video of Putin landing in Beijing. The Russian president is greeted by delegates and then leaves the airport at the centre of a huge convoy.
🇷🇺🇨🇳 At the invitation of China's President Xi Jinping, Russia's President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing, thus commencing a state visit to the People’s Republic of China as his first foreign trip after taking office.#RussiaChina pic.twitter.com/JRznEKtB3m
— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) May 15, 2024
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Putin praises China's support during Ukraine war
Prior to his arrival in Beijing, Chinese state media outlet Xinhua published a long interview with Vladimir Putin in which he described meeting with Xi Jinping as a “dialogue between old friends”.
He also praises China in its initiatives to “resolving the crisis in Ukraine”.
Unfortunately, neither Ukraine nor its western patrons support these initiatives. They are not ready to engage in an equal, honest and open dialogue based on mutual respect and consideration of each other’s interests.”
The war in Ukraine began when Russia invaded the country in February 2022. More than two years, on thousands of soldiers on both sides of the conflict have been killed, while Ukrainian civilians have borne the brunt of Russia’s aggression, with huge numbers either killed or left homeless by Moscow’s indiscriminate attacks.
China has acted as a lifeline for Russia, after western sanctions were imposed which sought to punish Moscow for its aggression. Beijing remains one of the top imports of Russian oil and gas, while trade between the two coutnries has increased at the same time.
In his interview with Xinhua, Putin criticised “western elites” in their efforts to “isolate and weaken” Russia.
Vladimir Putin arrives in Beijing for state visit
Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing early on Thursday for talks with Xi Jinping that the Kremlin hopes will deepen a strategic partnership between the two countries.
Chinese state media confirmed the Russian president’s arrival for what it described as a state visit from an “old friend”.
By picking China for his first foreign trip since being sworn in for a six-year term that will keep him in power until at least 2030, Putin is thought to be sending a message to the world about his priorities and the depth of his personal relationship with Xi.
Both leaders will take part in a gala evening celebrating 75 years since the Soviet Union recognised the People’s Republic of China, which was declared by Mao Zedong in 1949.
We’ll be following his visit and will bring you live updates as they occur.
