(Moscow) Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Russia on Monday for a summit with Vladimir Putin during which the two leaders will discuss a Chinese plan to settle the conflict in Ukraine and will appear united against the West.
Mr. Xi was greeted by a marching band upon his arrival around 6 a.m. (Eastern time) at Vnukovo International Airport in Moscow, according to images broadcast by Russian television.
Setting the tone, he said his three-day state visit to Russia would give “new impetus” to relations between Beijing and Moscow, according to a statement released by Russian agencies after his arrival.
According to the Kremlin, MM. Xi and Putin, who will have an informal one-on-one on Monday ahead of more formal talks on Tuesday, will notably discuss Beijing’s proposed plan last month to settle the conflict in Ukraine, which has caused international outcry and economic turbulence. .
Strengthened by having facilitated the recent diplomatic reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, China is positioning itself as a mediator on Ukraine, but Western countries doubt its ability to stop the conflict.
For Beijing and Moscow, it is above all a question of displaying with this summit the strength of their relationship, at a time when the two countries are going through strong tensions with Western countries, even if Russia seems more dependent on China than the reverse.
Many analysts, however, doubt Xi Jinping’s ability to bring about such a rapprochement on the Ukrainian issue, given the ties that unite Moscow and Beijing – and his relative lack of influence on the Kremlin.
For Mr. Putin, increasingly isolated in the West, Mr. Xi’s visit is all the more important since last week the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against him for “crime of war” in Ukraine.
“I look forward to working with President Putin to jointly embrace a new vision” of bilateral ties, Xi wrote in particular.
In an article published in a Chinese daily, Mr. Putin hailed “China’s willingness to play a constructive role” in Ukraine and believes that “Russian-Chinese relations have reached the highest point in their history”.
China has not publicly condemned the Russian offensive and criticizes the United States for its arms deliveries to Ukraine as well as NATO for failing to take into account Russian security concerns.
Beijing, however, released a 12-point document in late February that calls for peace talks and respect for the territorial integrity of all states — including, therefore, Ukraine.
On Monday, the Kremlin accused the United States of stoking the conflict in Ukraine and “flooding” that country with weapons.
For its part, Ukraine reiterated its calls for Russia to withdraw its troops, saying that the success of the Chinese plan depended on “the surrender or withdrawal of Russian occupation forces from Ukrainian territory”.
Beijing’s position on Ukraine is considered too lukewarm by several Western countries, according to which China tacitly supports Russia.
The United States has already indicated that it will not support a new Chinese call for a ceasefire during Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow, considering that this would amount to consolidating Russian control over the territories conquered in Ukraine. .
According to the American daily The Wall Street Journal, Xi Jinping could also meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky once he returns to China.
In any case, Mr. Xi’s visit allows Russia to show that it is not isolated, an impression reinforced by the international arrest warrant issued Friday by the ICC against Mr. Putin for the “illegal deportation” of Ukrainian children.
Asked about the subject, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang Wenbin, on Monday called on the court based in The Hague (Netherlands) to respect the immunity of heads of state.
As a sign of defiance, Mr. Putin went this weekend to Mariupol, a Ukrainian city devastated by Russian bombardment – his first visit to a conquered zone since the start of the offensive in February 2022.
The visit also has an important economic aspect, as Russia has massively reoriented its economy towards China in the face of Western sanctions.
According to the Kremlin, MM. Putin and Xi will sign several documents, including on Russian-Chinese economic cooperation by 2030.
Last year, just three weeks before Russian troops entered Ukraine, Beijing and Moscow declared a “limitless” partnership.
