(CNN) Xi Jinping has met with Vladimir Putin at the start of a three-day visit to Russia – his first since Moscow launched its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine last year – as the Chinese leader seeks to portray himself as a peace broker despite deep reason Skepticism in Kiev and in the West.
Putin welcomed Xi to the Kremlin on Monday, just days after the International Criminal Court in The Hague accused the Russian president of committing war crimes in Ukraine and issued an arrest warrant for him.
Ukraine is expected to be a key talking point during Xi’s visit, which will be closely watched for possible implications for an entrenched conflict that has killed tens of thousands and sparked a mass humanitarian crisis.
“In recent years, China has made a colossal leap forward,” Putin told Xi, who sat side by side with him in the Kremlin on Monday afternoon. “All over the world, it arouses interest and, unfortunately, even envy.”
China has described the trip as a “journey of friendship, cooperation and peace,” amid a push by Beijing to position itself as a key advocate for solving the conflict. But Xi’s trip is likely to be seen as a ringing endorsement from the Russian leader in some western capitals amid widespread international condemnation of his war.
Putin again claimed to Xi that he was “always open to the negotiation process” during a public portion of Monday’s meeting, despite his repeated refusal to talk to Kyiv about withdrawing from Ukrainian land.
“We have carefully studied your proposals to resolve the acute crisis in Ukraine,” Putin told Xi.
“Of course we will have the opportunity to discuss this issue. We know that you are based on the principles of justice and committed to the fundamental points of international law,” Putin said. “We will certainly discuss all of these issues, including your initiative.”
Western leaders have expressed skepticism about China’s potential peacemaking role and its claimed neutrality. The United States and its allies have instead warned since last month that China is considering sending lethal aid to Russia for its war effort, something Beijing denies.
Kyiv is also expected to closely monitor the proceedings and reiterated on Monday that any peace plan must begin with a Russian withdrawal from its territory.
“We expect Beijing to use its influence over Moscow to end the war of aggression against Ukraine,” Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko told CNN on Monday.
“Restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity should be the focus of every diplomatic effort,” he said. “We stand ready to engage in closer dialogue with China to restore peace in Ukraine in accordance with the principles enshrined in the UN Charter and the recent UN General Assembly resolution on the matter.”
Putin again claimed to Xi that he is “always open to the negotiation process,” despite his repeated refusal to negotiate with Kiev on a withdrawal from Ukrainian land.
On the table
Xi’s visit comes days after the ICC essentially made Putin a wanted man in the 123 countries that recognize the court, deepening the Russian leader’s isolation from the West as he pursues a bloody and costly war in Ukraine.
The Chinese leader was due to meet with Putin later Monday afternoon local time. Upon arrival at Vnukovo Airport near Moscow, he was greeted by Dmitry Chershenko, one of Russia’s ten deputy prime ministers, and a Russian military band, but Putin himself was not present at the meeting.
Russian media later showed Xi’s motorcade driving through the city ahead of three-day meetings where he is expected to announce an alleged framework to end the conflict, which was met with lukewarm reception from the West.
China has recently tried to brush up on its image, positioning itself as a pro-peace advocate and defending its ties with Russia as good for global stability. Last month, Beijing published a vaguely worded position paper on a “political solution” to the Ukraine conflict.
On Friday, following the announcement of Xi’s Moscow trip, the White House expressed concerns about possible proposals from China that were “one-sided and only reflected the Russian perspective.”
For example, a proposed ceasefire — which China has repeatedly called for — would merely provide an opportunity for Russia to regroup before launching retaliation, said John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council.
The visit is intended to provide a platform for the two countries to further deepen their close strategic alignment, which includes diplomatic coordination, joint military training and robust trade.
In a statement released after Xi landed on Monday, the Chinese leader said, “Facing a turbulent and changing world, China stands ready to continue working with Russia to firmly uphold the international order.”
Both Putin and Xi announced the “new impetus” their meeting would bring to their bilateral ties in separate letters published in each other’s national state media ahead of the visit.
Both also used the letters to denounce “hegemony” – a nod to their common goal of fighting what they see as a US-led world order.
Xi will have to tread carefully during his visit to Moscow. At stake for the Chinese leader is whether he can both strengthen ties with a partner China sees as crucial to countering this perceived US dominance and avoid alienating a Europe increasingly suspicious of the Sino-Russian relationship faces.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping celebrated his 66th birthday in 2019 with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe.
Putin launched his invasion days after he and Xi declared a partnership without borders last February.
China has since claimed neutrality, but backed Kremlin rhetoric that blamed NATO for the conflict, refused to condemn the invasion, and continued to provide financial support to Moscow by significantly increasing purchases of Russian fuel.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has in the past publicly expressed an interest in speaking with Xi about the conflict, although communication between the two countries has not progressed beyond Ukraine’s ministerial level since the war began.
Ukrainian, Chinese and US officials all declined to confirm a possible virtual meeting between Zelenskyy and Xi last week, after the Wall Street Journal reported that the two planned to speak for the first time after Xi’s then-possible trip to Moscow .
Close relationship
In contrast, this week’s state visit marks the 40th meeting between Putin and Xi since the Chinese leader took power in 2012.
The personal chemistry between the two authoritarian leaders is widely believed to be a key factor in strengthening ties between the countries in recent years – and will also be scrutinized during the visit.
Previous meetings between the leaders have showcased that relationship to the full, with photo ops including Putin presenting Xi with an ice cream cone on his 66th birthday during a 2019 meeting in Tajikistan, and the two sharing Russian pancakes on the edge of a Forums in Vladivostok cook in 2018.
The two last met in person in September during a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, part of Xi’s first overseas trip after nearly three years without traveling during the pandemic.
Putin, who referred to Xi as his “good old friend” in his letter published in Chinese state media on Monday, is said to be touting the domestic meeting as proof that Russia is not isolated on the world stage.
CNN’s Anna Chernova contributed to the coverage