Putin Hails Russia’s “unprecedentedly” High Level of Ties With China
As dozens of leaders including the North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-un, arrived in Beijing on the eve of a massive military parade.
Putin called China’s leader, Xi, a “dear friend” after the two held talks at the Great Hall of the People and then at Xi’s personal residence.
Putin told Xi, according to a video on the Kremlin’s Telegram channel.
Putin, described by Xi on Tuesday as his “old friend”, is the most prominent of a roster of autocrats who have gathered in China this week for a double bill of events designed to showcase the might of the world’s second-biggest economy and geopolitical rival to the US.
At the Victory Day parade on Wednesday, thousands of soldiers are due to march through the streets of the capital in a show of Chinese military might. Rumbling tanks and powerful fighter jets will also be on display for the event, which is being held to commemorate 80 years since the defeat of Japan in the second world war.
Putin also met Slovakia’s Moscow-friendly prime minister, Robert Fico, the only EU leader in attendance, whom he praised for his country’s “independent” position.
Fico has repeatedly criticised Kyiv and stalled European Union sanctions against Moscow, arguing they put Slovakia’s energy security at risk.
Putin suggested that Bratislava cut off gas supplies to Ukraine.
he told Fico.
On Ukraine, Putin said he had never opposed Ukraine’s potential membership of the European Union.
The Russian president said he had no intention of attacking Europe.
Putin’s comments on the Russia-China relationship came as the two countries signed a deal that will sharply increase Beijing’s imports of Russian gas over the next 30 years.
Putin and Xi agreed to build the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, which will allow the transit of 50bn cubic metres of gas to China each year.
Chinese state media reported on Tuesday that Putin and Xi signed more than 20 bilateral cooperation documents during talks in Beijing.
China also announced it would extend visa-free travel privileges to Russian passport holders, starting from 15 September.
Kim arrived in Beijing for the parade on a specially armoured train, in his first visit to China since 2019. It is also the first time since 1959 that a North Korean leader has attended an international event of this scale.
Kim’s trip comes after a period in which ties between Russia and North Korea have deepened, with Pyongyang sending tens of thousands of troops to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine.
Xi, speaking at the SCO summit on Monday, proposed a “global governance initiative”, the latest in a slew of Chinese “global initiatives” to reshape the world order according to principles favoured by Beijing.
#putin #china #xi #kim #level #ties
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As dozens of leaders including the North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-un, arrived in Beijing on the eve of a massive military parade.
Putin called China’s leader, Xi, a “dear friend” after the two held talks at the Great Hall of the People and then at Xi’s personal residence.
“Our close communication reflects the strategic nature of Russia-China relations, which are at an unprecedentedly high level,”
Putin told Xi, according to a video on the Kremlin’s Telegram channel.
“We were always together then, and we remain together now.”
Putin, described by Xi on Tuesday as his “old friend”, is the most prominent of a roster of autocrats who have gathered in China this week for a double bill of events designed to showcase the might of the world’s second-biggest economy and geopolitical rival to the US.
At the Victory Day parade on Wednesday, thousands of soldiers are due to march through the streets of the capital in a show of Chinese military might. Rumbling tanks and powerful fighter jets will also be on display for the event, which is being held to commemorate 80 years since the defeat of Japan in the second world war.
Putin also met Slovakia’s Moscow-friendly prime minister, Robert Fico, the only EU leader in attendance, whom he praised for his country’s “independent” position.
Fico has repeatedly criticised Kyiv and stalled European Union sanctions against Moscow, arguing they put Slovakia’s energy security at risk.
Putin suggested that Bratislava cut off gas supplies to Ukraine.
“Ukraine receives a significant volume of energy resources through its neighbours in eastern Europe. Shut off gas supplies that go in reverse,”
he told Fico.
On Ukraine, Putin said he had never opposed Ukraine’s potential membership of the European Union.
“As for Ukraine’s membership of the EU, we have never objected to this (…) As for Nato, this is another issue.”
The Russian president said he had no intention of attacking Europe.
Putin’s comments on the Russia-China relationship came as the two countries signed a deal that will sharply increase Beijing’s imports of Russian gas over the next 30 years.
Putin and Xi agreed to build the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, which will allow the transit of 50bn cubic metres of gas to China each year.
Chinese state media reported on Tuesday that Putin and Xi signed more than 20 bilateral cooperation documents during talks in Beijing.
China also announced it would extend visa-free travel privileges to Russian passport holders, starting from 15 September.
Kim arrived in Beijing for the parade on a specially armoured train, in his first visit to China since 2019. It is also the first time since 1959 that a North Korean leader has attended an international event of this scale.
Kim’s trip comes after a period in which ties between Russia and North Korea have deepened, with Pyongyang sending tens of thousands of troops to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine.
Xi, speaking at the SCO summit on Monday, proposed a “global governance initiative”, the latest in a slew of Chinese “global initiatives” to reshape the world order according to principles favoured by Beijing.
#putin #china #xi #kim #level #ties
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