Putin will go to China to meet with Xi Jinping and strengthen bilateral relations

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Kremlin confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to Beijing this week to meet with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, and strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries. It is Putin's first international trip since he was sworn in for the fifth time.

Putin's visit in China, at the invitation of Xi Jinping, will last two days. Both leaders will talk about "cooperation in various fields of bilateral relations ... as well as international and regional issues of common concern," according to statements by authorities from both countries reported by Fox News.

Although the details of the conversations that Putin and Xi Jinping will have been not made public, it is foreseeable that they will talk about the war in Ukraine, a conflict in which China has remained on the sidelines. However, Beijing does support Moscow in other non-war disputes with the West over global governance.

They are also expected to discuss trade deals.

The last time both leaders met publicly was in October 2023. It was in Beijing, where Putin went to participate in the third Belt and Road forum and see his "dear friend" Xi Jinping. Previously, in 2022 and before the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it was the Chinese leader who traveled to visit his counterpart in Moscow.