Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping celebrate their “special” relationship with the West | War in Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands during a signing ceremony following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21, 2023.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday hailed a “new era” in their “special” relationship with Westerners, with the Russian president cautiously backing the plan to settle the conflict in Ukraine while accusing Kiev of rejecting it.
The Chinese initiative, which calls for peace talks, has elements that can serve as the basis for a peaceful settlement [of the conflict] when they are ready for it in the West and in Kyiv, Putin said.
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However, we do not currently observe such a disposition on their side, he added to the side of Mr. Xi who, for his part, has stressed that Beijing advocates peace and dialogue in Ukraine.
In Kiev, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had invited China to be part of the settlement of the conflict and was awaiting its response, adding that he was receiving signals, but nothing concrete.
MM. Putin and Xi were speaking after a Kremlin summit which, in the absence of a breakthrough on Ukraine, was primarily aimed at demonstrating the strength of Russia-China relations amid heated tensions between these countries and the West.
The Chinese president thus said he believes that relations between Beijing and Moscow are entering a new era after signing a declaration with his Russian counterpart on deepening the Russian-Chinese strategic partnership.
The Kremlin ruler, who rolled out the red carpet for Mr. Xi for his state visit, which ends on Wednesday, hailed the special nature of Russian-Chinese relations.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 in Moscow.
In a joint statement with Cold War overtones, the two leaders also sharply attacked the West, accusing the United States of undermining international security to maintain its military advantage . They also expressed concern over NATO's growing presence in Asia.
Another echo of the Cold War, Russia and China affirmed that a nuclear war must never take place in the declaration signed by MM. Putin and Xi.
The Russian president has also threatened to retaliate if London supplies Ukraine with shells containing depleted uranium, as reported by a British official.
He was much warmer with his Chinese host, referring to him as dear friend and comrade Xi. The two leaders even toasted during a state dinner to the prosperity of the Russian and Chinese peoples.
Russian and Chinese presidents raise their glasses at a post-summit reception in the Kremlin.
< p>“Russian-Chinese cooperation has truly unlimited possibilities and prospects. »
— Vladimir Putin, Russian President
Mr. last week by an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Treated as an outcast by Westerners since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, Mr. Putin can count on Beijing to break the isolation: Mr. Xi has thus invited him to visit China this year.
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Chance of the calendar? As Mr. Xi showed his support in Moscow, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrived in Ukraine on Tuesday, where Mr. Zelensky hailed a powerful defender of the international order.
Mr. Kishida in particular went to the martyrdom city of Boutcha, near Kiev, where Russian soldiers are accused of committing atrocities while occupying it, and he expressed his outrage .
Speaking to the press alongside the Japanese leader, Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he would participate by videoconference in the G7 summit scheduled for May in Hiroshima.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday.
Mr. Kishida was the only Head of State or Government in this group of seven of the most industrialized countries on the planet not to have made a trip to the Ukrainian capital since the start of the conflict in February 2022.< /p>
Faced with Chinese mediation on Ukraine, kyiv's allies have generally expressed skepticism. Washington even accuses the Chinese authorities of considering delivering weapons to Russia, which they deny.
Monday, the head of American diplomacy, Antony Blinken , said the world should not be fooled by any tactical move by Russia, backed by China or any other country, to freeze the conflict [in Ukraine] on its own terms.
A screen in a public square in Beijing broadcasts coverage Live from the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Beyond strategic considerations, the meeting between MM. Putin and Xi have devoted the strengthening of the economic partnership between their two countries, particularly in terms of hydrocarbons.
The Chinese president's visit to Russia comes at a time when the latter has massively reoriented its economy to China because of the heavy Western sanctions of which it is the target.
In this context, Mr. Putin announced on Tuesday that he had reached an agreement with Mr. Xi on the gigantic Siberian Force 2 gas pipeline project, which will allow Russia to supply an additional 50 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
Earlier, the Russian head of state , anxious to find new outlets for hydrocarbons boycotted by Europe, had assured Mr. Xi that his country was able to meet China's growing demand for energy.
As a symbol, the Russian giant Gazprom announced on Tuesday that it had delivered a record quantity of gas the day before by the gas pipeline tr years border Force of Siberia.
