Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin set their sights on shaping a new world order as the Chinese leader left Moscow on Wednesday, having not provided direct support for Putin’s war in Ukraine during his visit. of two days.
Xi made a strong show of solidarity with Putin against the West, but made little mention of the Ukraine conflict, saying on Tuesday that China took an «impartial position.» There were no signs that Xi’s efforts to play the role of peacemaker had paid off.
However, when Xi left, he told Putin: “Now there are changes that have not happened for 100 years. When we are together, we drive these changes.”
“I agree,” Putin said, to which Xi replied: “Take care of yourself dear friend, please.”
Commenting on the Xi-Putin meeting, the White House said China’s position was biased and urged Beijing to pressure Russia to withdraw from Ukraine’s sovereign territory to end Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II. World.
As Xi left Moscow, Ukraine faced a fresh series of Russian drone strikes, killing at least three people and damaging some infrastructure across the country, shortly after Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida left Kiev.
Kishida’s surprise visit to the Ukrainian capital stole some of the attention from Xi’s trip.
Billed by the Kremlin as a show of support for its most powerful friend, Xi’s visit to Moscow featured carefully staged pomp and ceremony, but the spectacle was also marked by much demonstrative sympathy between the two autocrats.
Xi and Putin called themselves dear friends, pledged economic cooperation and described their countries’ relations as the best ever.
«They [the leaders] They shared the view that this relationship has gone far beyond bilateral scope and has acquired critical importance for the global landscape and the future of humanity,» said a statement issued by China.
Putin said on the Kremlin website: «We are working in solidarity on the formation of a more just and democratic multipolar world order, which must be based on the central role of the UN, its Security Council, international law, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter».
In an earlier joint statement, the leaders accused the West of undermining global stability and NATO of disrupting the Asia-Pacific region, but said the close partnership between China and Russia did not constitute a «political-military alliance.»
On Ukraine, Putin praised Xi for a peace plan he proposed last month and blamed Kiev and the West for rejecting it. The West sees China’s peace plan as a ploy to buy Putin time to regroup his forces and solidify his control over the occupied land.
China’s 12-point plan has no specific details on how to end the bloody year-long war, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives and forced millions to flee.
The West has sought to isolate Russia through global sanctions and Putin faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court.
China has not supported either move and the West is concerned that it could help arm Russia in its conflict, which Beijing has denied.
As Xi and Putin ended their talks on Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund announced a preliminary agreement with kyiv on a four-year loan package of around $15.6 billion for the shattered country.
Separately, the United States intends to expedite delivery to Ukraine of 31 Abrams battle tanks by the fall, Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder told reporters.
kyiv had clamored for tanks, as well as other sophisticated Western military equipment, as the conflict has been reduced to a war of attrition with both sides suffering heavy losses.
Associated Press contributed.