Putin: Russia and China Unite Against Common Threats
Before Mr. Xi’s three-day trip to Russia, the Russian leader penned a lengthy article for the People’s Daily Newspaper claiming that the relationship between the two countries is “consistently growing stronger.”
Vladimir Putin stated that Russia and China face “common threats” as he welcomed President Xi Jinping to Moscow for a three-day visit.
In an article published in the People’s Daily, the Russian president referred to Mr. Xi’s visit as a “landmark event” that “reaffirms the unique nature of the Russia-China partnership.”
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This publication is the official publication of the Chinese Communist Party.
Mr. Xi has returned the favor in the Kremlin’s Rossiiskaya Gazeta newspaper, claiming that the 12-point peace plan Beijing drafted last month to end the war in Ukraine reflects “the unity of the world community’s views.”
Monday’s visit by the Chinese leader is the first by a foreign leader since the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for his Russian counterpart.
More than forty justice ministers, including the United Kingdom’s Dominic Raab, will be in London shortly to support the investigation into alleged war crimes, including the kidnapping of children.
Putin has “high hopes” for negotiations with Xi.
Mr. Putin wrote that he and Mr. Xi have “high expectations for the upcoming talks” after Mr. Putin’s highly criticized visit to Mariupol, the Ukrainian city destroyed by Russian forces last year.
He described his counterpart as an “old friend” with whom he shares the “warmest relationship,” adding that Russia’s relations with China are “consistently strengthening” and at “the highest level in their history.”
“We have reached an unprecedented level of trust in our political dialogue, and our strategic cooperation has become truly all-encompassing as we approach a new era,” he penned.
China’s foreign affairs ministry confirmed Mr. Xi’s trip on Friday, with Russia stating that Mr. Putin personally invited the Chinese president.
According to the Kremlin, Mr. Putin is scheduled to have a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Xi on Monday, followed by further negotiations on Tuesday and a statement to the media.
Xi urges “pragmatism” regarding Ukraine.
The article of the Chinese president focused primarily on the conflict in Ukraine, during which Beijing has attempted to strike a balance between calling for peace and avoiding criticism of Russia.
Mr. Xi’s regime has denied US and NATO allegations that it is contemplating arming the illegal invasion, which Mr. Putin continues to assert in his article was “fueled by the West.”
He stated that he is “open to a political and diplomatic resolution of the Ukraine crisis” and applauded Mr. Xi’s recent ceasefire proposals, which the Chinese leader advocated in his article.
Mr. Xi asserted that his nation’s peace plan, which includes respecting “the sovereignty of all countries” and ending all sanctions, is “constructive” and promotes a “political settlement.”
“Complex problems have no simple solutions,” he said, adding that the end of the war would ensure “the stability of global production and supply chains.”
He wrote that a resolution is possible “if everyone is guided by the concept of common, comprehensive, joint, and sustainable security and continues dialogue and consultations in an equal, prudent, and pragmatic manner.”
Economic collaboration is a “priority”
Mr. Putin and Mr. Xi both emphasized the significance of the economic partnership between their countries.
Since the war began in February 2022, Russia has been largely cut off from Western markets, but Mr. Putin wrote that his country’s trade with China is “growing, further strengthening the sovereignty of our relations.”
Mr. Xi stated that Beijing and Moscow desired “a comprehensive partnership” in a world threatened by “acts of hegemony, despotism, and bullying.”
The mutual commitment of the two men occurred as Ukraine and the United Kingdom signed a new digital trade agreement to aid Ukraine’s economy during the war and subsequent reconstruction.
It grants Ukrainian businesses access to the United Kingdom’s financial services and enables them to trade more efficiently and affordably via electronic transactions, e-signatures, and e-contracts.
In November, an agreement in principle was reached for the deal that was executed on Monday.
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