China’s President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow on Monday for his first visit to Russia since his counterpart Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine. Xi’s visit was to last three days.
“I am confident that the visit will be fruitful and will give new impetus to the healthy and stable development of Sino-Russian relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation in a new era,” Xi said after arriving in Moscow, according to the state-led Russian News Agency Tass.
The Chinese leader was greeted by Putin, who praised China’s growth in recent years and said: “We even envy you a little.”
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Putin also said he had “carefully studied” China’s proposal to end the war in Ukraine. This plan, which calls for respect for the “sovereignty of all countries,” does not envisage a withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.
“You also know that we are always open to the negotiation process. We will, of course, discuss all these issues, including your initiatives, which we treat with respect,” Putin said.
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“I expect that during the visit with President Vladimir Putin, I will have in-depth exchanges on bilateral relations and major regional and international issues of mutual interest, and outline a plan to develop strategic interaction and practical cooperation,” Xi said.
The Chinese leader’s visit comes amid concerns that China may be preparing to supply Russia with lethal weapons for its war in Ukraine, which China denies. It also comes days after prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) indicted Putin for war crimes, including orchestrating the forced relocation of Ukrainian children to Russian territory.
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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the two leaders would have an informal meal together on Monday and that broader talks were planned for Tuesday.
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