Emmy Sasipornkarn | Saim Dušan Inayatullah with AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters
- Xi welcomed Putin at the Great Hall of People for the second day of talks
- Russia and China have strong economic ties and have declared a ‘no limits’ partnership
- Germany’s Merz says he hopes Xi will urge Putin to end the war in Ukraine
Below are headlines and analysis on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing on Tuesday, May 19 and Wednesday, May 20:
Xi: Further hostilities in Middle East ‘inadvisable’
Chinese President Xi Jinping also told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that further hostilities in the Middle East were “inadvisable,” state media reported.
“A comprehensive ceasefire is of utmost urgency, resuming hostilities is even more inadvisable and maintaining negotiations is particularly important,” Xi told Putin, according to Xinhua news agency.
Xi’s call for an end to the hostilities in the Middle East came even as Russia continues attacks on Ukraine, which was not mentioned in either leader’s initial statements.
Xi also hails ‘unyielding’ China-Russia ties
In a tone similar to his Russian counterpart’s, Chinese President Xi Jinping also hailed the “unyielding relationship” between China and Russia, state media reported.
“We have been able to continuously deepen our political mutual trust and strategic coordination with a resilience that remains unyielding despite trials and tribulations,” Xi told Putin, according to Xinhua news agency.
Putin invites Xi to Russia next year
Russian President Vladimir Putin invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to Russia as the pair met during Putin’s visit to Beijing.
Putin hailed the “strong” momentum in Chinese-Russian cooperation, saying “unyielding” ties between the two countries were at an unprecedented level.
“Even amid unfavorable external factors, our cooperation and economic cooperation is showing strong, positive momentum,” Putin told Xi as the two met in the Great Hall of the People, video from Russian media showed.
Putin arrives at Great Hall of People, meets Xi
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has arrived outside the Great Hall of the People and shaken hands with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, Russian and Chinese media reported.
The Russian president greeted Chinese dignitaries before introducing Xi to members of his delegation.
Putin and Xi walked down a red carpet rolled out to greet the Russian leader, and stood as a military band played their two national anthems.
IN DEPTH: How China became Russia’s economic lifeline
Russia continues to tout its so‑called “no‑limits” partnership with China, but new figures suggest the relationship is becoming increasingly one‑sided.
Trade between the two eased last year due to lower oil prices, yet Russian exports to China have nearly doubled since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In 2024, Russia shipped roughly $129 billion (€111 billion) worth of goods to China — the overwhelming majority in crude oil, coal and natural gas sold at steep discounts.
The Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air calculated that China has bought more than €319 billion ($372 billion) of Russian fossil fuels since the conflict began, giving Moscow vital hard currency to fund its military amid Western sanctions.
DW examines how China’s trade ties and financial backing are helping to sustain Russia’s economy.
Xi, Putin to sign agreement on ‘multipolar’ world order — Kremlin
Ahead of the talks in Beijing, the Kremlin said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping would sign a statement on building a “multipolar” world order, among many other documents.
Some 40 documents are to be signed in total, Kremlin foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov said, including bilateral agreements touching on industry, trade, transport and construction.
The two leaders are to conduct informal talks “over tea”, Ushakov said, where they are expected to discuss the conflicts in Iran and Ukraine and other issues.
Beijing has repeatedly called for Western states to abandon what it describes as “Cold War mentality” and accept China’s role in an increasingly multipolar world.
WATCH: Trade ties reveal Russia’s growing dependence on China
Relations between China and Russia have grown closer but also increasingly unequal.
Putin arrives in China for talks with Xi
Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in China for talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
The Russian president landed at Beijing Capital International Airport shortly after 11:15 p.m. (0315 UTC).
Germany’s Merz hopes for Xi to tell Putin to stop Ukraine war
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin hopes that Chinese leader Xi Jinping will use his influence on Russian President Vladimir Putin to urge him to end Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
“We do not expect a fundamental shift in the strategic relations between Russia and China at this stage,” Merz was cited by German news agency DPA as saying.
“But we naturally associate this visit with the hope that President Xi will also urge President Putin to end this war in Ukraine, which he cannot win,” he said, pointing to reportedly high casualty rates among Russian soldiers.
Russia has become increasingly reliant on its links to China’s economy after being isolated from Western countries due to its war in Ukraine.
China has not condemned the Russian invasion and has called for a negotiated settlement between Kyiv and Moscow.
Putin hails ‘unprecedented’ Russia-China ties ahead of Xi talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin was on his way to Beijing on Tuesday for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The Kremlin said that Putin and Xi were to discuss ways to “further strengthen” Russian-Chinese ties and “exchange views on key international and regional issues.”
In a Tuesday video message, Putin said that China and Russia’s relations had reached “a truly unprecedented level” and that “trade between Russia and China continues to grow.”
“The close strategic relationship between Russia and China plays a major, stabilizing role globally. Without allying against anyone, we seek peace and universal prosperity,” Putin said.
Russia and China have deepened their cooperation since Moscow’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine that isolated it from Western states.
China is the world’s largest buyer of Russian oil, which is under Western sanctions.
Russia also aims to set up a natural gas pipeline to China through Mongolia in a project dubbed the “Power of Siberia 2”.
Welcome to our coverage
Russian President Vladimir Putin is on his way to Beijing for a meeting with China’s Xi Jinping.
It comes less than a week after US President Donald Trump visited the Chinese capital.
The Kremlin has said that Putin and Xi are to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries as well as “key international and regional issues.”
We will keep you updated with the latest news on Putin’s visit on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Disclaimer: This report first appeared on Deutsche Welle, and has been republished on ABP Live as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by ABP Live.
