Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin used a video call on Wednesday to underscore the strength of their bilateral relationship, days before the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Putin described ties with Beijing as a key stabilising factor in an increasingly turbulent global environment, while Xi called for a long-term "grand plan" to deepen cooperation between the two countries.
The call highlighted how China has become Russia's most important economic partner since Western sanctions isolated Moscow over the war in Ukraine. Trade between the two countries has expanded sharply since 2022, reinforcing a partnership the leaders labelled "no limits" just days before Russian troops crossed into Ukraine. Xi and Putin last met in person in Beijing in September, during a military parade attended by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
While Beijing insists it is not a party to the conflict, Ukraine and several European governments have accused China of indirectly supporting Russia's war effort, allegations China denies. The call followed meetings this week between senior Chinese and Russian diplomats in Beijing, where both sides said they had reached broad agreement on global security issues, signalling continued coordination as the war drags on into a fourth year...