Russian President Vladimir Putin has “high expectations” in talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, on the eve of his visit to Russia. He stated it in an article. “We have no doubts that they will give a new powerful impetus to the entire bilateral cooperation,” the Russian president said. Putin welcomed “China’s willingness to play a constructive role” in resolving the conflict in Ukraine, also arguing that relations between Moscow and Beijing are “at the highest point” in their history. This was stated by Putin in an article written for a Chinese newspaper and published by the Kremlin.
In Russia from tomorrow to Wednesday, President Xi Jinping will strengthen his relations with Vladimir Putin, a partner increasingly dependent on Beijing but also increasingly unpredictable. “A mission for peace”, the Chinese Foreign Ministry presented it on Friday, linking it to Moscow’s war against Ukraine. Strengthened by the unprecedented third consecutive term he has just received as president of the People’s Republic after the equally historic third row secretariat of the Communist Party in October, Xi has decided to start the new decade’s foreign visits from Moscow, just as he did 10 years ago he does once he has conquered the institutional summit of the country.
His meeting with Putin will be the 40th in person, underlining the continued importance of his Russian understanding even if the trip risks jeopardizing other foreign policy objectives, including those of preventing China’s relations with the States escape from any control and to protect relations with Brussels with which Beijing is trying to further advance economic and trade cooperation. China still needs access to Western markets, technology and capital to return to robust growth, the real source of legitimacy of the CCP. The Kremlin, on the other hand, is increasingly dependent on the Dragon for the purchase of oil and gas in the face of Western sanctions, but claims its ability to manoeuvre.
“Just before Xi’s state visit began, Putin made his first trip to the occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupolmore than symbolic for the Russian invasion, in another apparent attempt to signal that it has Beijing’s support,” a diplomatic source noted with ANSA. However, rather than push Putin to withdraw from Ukraine, Xi – to some observers – he will use the meeting with the Russian president to develop the bilateral strategic partnership. In order to strengthen the image of a neutral party interested in peace, Xi should then speak in virtual mode with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time since the beginning of the Russian invasion, probably after his trip to Moscow, reported the Wall Street Journal in recent days.
The White House is preparing for the visit in a wait-and-see position: “We will see what emerges from this meeting,” says White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, but if the request for a truce in Ukraine emerges, it will be ” unacceptable” because it would mean “ratifying the conquests made up to now by Russia” and “giving Putin more time”. Since Moscow attacked Ukraine over a year ago, Beijing has avoided condemnation by maintaining an ambiguous position. Any significant distance from Moscow would have a backlash that China cannot afford: it is possible that the Communist leadership is seeking a better balance between the twin objectives of achieving stability in relations with Europe and ensuring that Russia does not lose war, remaining aligned with China, essential for Xi’s plans on new world arrangements to the detriment of the United States. “Xi will refuse to put his name on anything that could cause an economic backlash to the West,” the diplomatic source added. While Hu Xijin, former editor of the Global Times, nationalist tabloid of the People’s Daily, observed that “the US provides the reason and energy to continue the Ukrainian war”. Instead, China “provides the rationale and hope to end it,” Hu wrote on Twitter.
Read the full article on ANSA.it