The presidents of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and China, Xi Jinping, started this Monday (20) their informal meeting in the Kremlin with the Chinese peace initiative for Ukraine on the table and the eyes of the international community focused on this visit of State, which represents a kind of common front against the West.
The two leaders, who appeared sitting next to each other in the Kremlin, according to images released by Russian public television, first had a “face to face” meeting and then will continue the informal meeting with dinner.
Putin welcomed Xi by congratulating him on his re-election as China’s president.
“I am certain that, under your leadership, China will take further steps in its development and achieve the goals it has set,” he emphasized.
Putin added that Russia and China “have many joint tasks and goals”, and further praised the “great attention that Xi pays to the development of Russian-Chinese relations”.
The Russian president also considered that Beijing always adopts a “fair and balanced position in the face of the most pressing international problems”.
In that regard, he declared to Xi that he will discuss with him the Chinese peace plan to end the war in Ukraine.
“We have carefully studied your proposals for resolving the serious crisis in Ukraine. We will of course have the opportunity to discuss this,” Putin said.
ambiguous posture
China has maintained an ambiguous stance on the war, defending Ukraine’s territorial integrity on the one hand and claiming to take Russia’s security concerns into account on the other.
China’s peace initiative was received by Russia with a back foot, since respecting the territorial integrity would mean returning the occupied territories to Ukraine, while Kiev considers that the Chinese plan lacks logic and is full of contradictions, because it should not take into account the interests of the aggressor country.
Putin noted that, in general, the interaction of Russia and China in the international arena “contributes to strengthening the fundamental principles of world order and multipolarity”.
The Russian president also stated that the two countries have many matters to discuss in the field of economic cooperation.
“Tomorrow we will be able to talk about it with the participation of our partners and colleagues” in an expanded meeting with the respective delegations, he pointed out.
Xi, for his part, said he was “very pleased” with the invitation to visit Russia, especially soon after his re-election.
The Chinese president, who called Putin a “dear friend” during his opening speech, stressed that China “greatly values relations with Russia” as they have “historical logic” as the biggest neighbors and strategic partners.
Xi further commented that Russia, under Putin’s leadership, has made “significant achievements”.
“Next year you will hold (presidential) elections. I am sure the Russian people will support you,” Xi told his host.
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