Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to China in May for talks with Xi Jinping, in what could be the Kremlin chief’s first foreign trip in his new presidential term, according to five sources familiar with the matter.
Western governments on Monday condemned Putin’s re-election as unfair and undemocratic. But China, India and North Korea have congratulated the veteran leader for extending his rule for another six years, highlighting geopolitical rifts that have widened since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
“Putin will visit China,” one of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters. The details were independently confirmed by four other sources, who also spoke on condition of anonymity.
Another source said Putin’s trip to China will likely take place in the second half of May. Two of the sources said Putin’s visit would come before Xi’s planned trip to Europe.
The Kremlin, asked about the Reuters report, said information about Putin’s visits would be released closer to that date.
“Several presidential visits and several high-level contacts are currently being prepared,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. “We’ll let you know as soon as we get close.”
China’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
China and Russia declared an “unrestricted” partnership in February 2022, when Putin visited Beijing just days before sending tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine, triggering Europe’s deadliest ground war since World War II.
The United States sees China as its biggest competitor and Russia as its biggest domestic threat, while US President Joe Biden argues that this century will be defined by an existential competition between democracies and autocracies.
Putin and Xi share a broad worldview that sees the West as decadent, just as China challenges US supremacy in everything from quantum computing and synthetic biology to espionage and heavy military might.
China has strengthened its trade and military ties with Russia in recent years, while the United States and its allies have imposed sanctions against both countries, particularly Moscow, over the invasion of Ukraine.
Foreign diplomats and observers have said they expect Putin to make China his first stop after being re-elected. Putin’s formal presidential inauguration is expected to take place around May 7.
Putin told reporters on Sunday that Russia and China share a similar global outlook and enjoy resilient relations, partly due to their good personal relations with Xi, and that Moscow and Beijing will further develop ties in the coming years.
Source: Terra
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