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Putin flaunts alliance with Xi as 'dear friends' meet in Kremlin

Published 03/19/2023, 11:36 PM
Updated 03/21/2023, 12:32 AM
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a ceremony dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and China, in Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia June 5, 2019. Ser

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a ceremony dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and China, in Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia June 5, 2019. Ser

(This March 20 story has been corrected to show that Xi was re-elected earlier in March and not last month in paragraph 3)

(Reuters) - Vladimir Putin hosted his "dear friend" Xi Jinping for dinner at the Kremlin on Monday, showing off his relationship with his most powerful ally just days after an international court called for the Russian president's arrest for war crimes in Ukraine.

Washington denounced Xi's visit, saying the timing indicated Beijing was providing Moscow with "diplomatic cover" to commit additional crimes.

It was the first trip abroad for Xi since he obtained an unprecedented third term earlier this month. The Chinese leader has been trying to portray Beijing as a potential peacemaker in Ukraine, as he deepens economic ties with his closest ally.

Putin and Xi greeted one another as "dear friend" when they met in the Kremlin, and Russian state news agencies later reported they held informal talks for nearly 4-1/2 hours, with more official talks scheduled for Tuesday.

In televised comments after they greeted each other, Putin told Xi he viewed China's proposals for a resolution of the Ukraine conflict with respect. He confessed to being "slightly envious" of China's "very effective system for developing the economy and strengthening the state".

Xi, for his part, praised Putin and predicted Russians would re-elect him next year.

"Under your strong leadership, Russia has made great strides in its prosperous development," he said.

Moscow has been publicly promoting plans for a visit by Xi for months. But the timing gave the Chinese leader's personal support new meaning, after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant on Friday accusing Putin of war crimes for deporting children from Ukraine.

Moscow denies illegally deporting children, saying it has taken in orphans to protect them. It opened a criminal case against the court's prosecutor and judges. Beijing said the warrant reflected double standards.

The West says the warrant should make the Russian leader a pariah.

"That President Xi is travelling to Russia days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for President Putin suggests that China feels no responsibility to hold the Kremlin accountable for the atrocities committed in Ukraine," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

"Instead of even condemning them it would rather provide diplomatic cover for Russia to continue to commit those grave crimes.”

White House spokesman John Kirby (NYSE:KEX) said Xi should use his influence to press Putin to withdraw troops from Ukraine, and Washington was concerned that Beijing might instead call for a ceasefire that would let Russian troops stay.

China has released a proposal to solve the Ukraine crisis, largely dismissed in the West as a ploy to buy Putin time to regroup his forces and solidify his grip on occupied land.

Russia and China "do not have the same network of friends and partners" around the world as the United States, and that's why they are tightening their relationship now, Kirby said.

"It's a bit of a marriage of convenience, I'd say, less than it is of affection," Kirby told reporters.

Washington has said in recent weeks it also fears China might arm Russia, which Beijing has denied.

KYIV CAUTIOUS

Kyiv, which says the war cannot end until Russia pulls out its troops, has been circumspect towards China, cautiously welcoming Beijing's peace proposal when it was unveiled last month even though Western allies were publicly sceptical.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that China arming Russia could lead to World War Three, but also that he believed Beijing was aware of this risk, implying he thought it was unlikely. He has called for Xi to speak to him.

Putin signed a "no limits" partnership with Xi last year shortly before the Kremlin leader ordered the invasion of Ukraine. Putin claims he aims to end a threat to Russia from its neighbour's moves towards the West; Kyiv and the West call it an unprovoked attack on an independent state.

Russia's assault is believed to have killed tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians and soldiers on both sides. Moscow has destroyed Ukrainian cities, set millions of people to flight and claims to have annexed nearly a fifth of Ukraine.

The Kremlin said Putin would provide Xi with detailed "clarifications" of Russia's position, without elaborating.

Several European Union countries agreed in Brussels on Monday to jointly buy 1 million rounds of 155 mm artillery shells for Ukraine. Both sides fire thousands of rounds per day.

The United States announced its latest military aid package, worth $350 million, including more ammunition for HIMARS rocket launchers, howitzers and Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, plus HARM missiles, anti-tank weapons and river boats.

Fierce fighting continued in the eastern Ukrainian town of Bakhmut, where Ukrainian forces have held out since last summer in the longest and bloodiest battle of the war.

Moscow, which has not scored a major victory since August, has launched a massive winter offensive involving hundreds of thousands of freshly called-up reservists and convicts recruited from jails.

© Reuters. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, March 20, 2023. Russian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS

Fighting that both sides describe as a meat grinder has scattered the battlefield with bodies, but the front line has barely moved for more than four months.

Ukraine, which recaptured swathes of territory in the second half of 2022, has kept mainly to defence since November, aiming to deplete Russia's attacking forces before launching a planned counteroffensive of its own.

Latest comments

Us maga communist republicans love these two auths because they are beta followers and simps for dictators.
I.d.i.o.t.
Meanwhile Biden sits in the sidelines not knowing where he is.
He doesn't even know what day it is
Putin made his move after he watched the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.
yeah, the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal was but one of the many disastrous decisions made by the trump government..
Ukraine has suffered something like 200,000+ KIA or MIA vs Russia at nearly 50,000. Ukraine lost Mariopol and is getting annihilated in Bhakmut which is the hub of the eastern front. None of those NATO vehicles promised nearly 2 months ago have made it to the front lines and now it's the muddy season so it's unlikely they will even get 1 leopard tank into action. As the saying goes, it's bad to be the enemy of the US but it's even worse to be an ally. The Russo/Sino alliance is just another disaster the world is facing due to the election fraud at the hands of the Deep State and the Biden administration.
Bravo! Bravo! You hit all the key misinformation talking points.
they should have taken the deal offered them a year ago
It's not like it's going good dude. Look around.
Winnie the Pooh and Putin absolutely disgust me.
It's sad that America has become much worse than communist China and Russia.
You can move there
both are going to have more money than weird and broke US.
stop huffing glue for your own sake
Xi getting friendly with a war criminal whose actions have been condemned by 144 nations of the world. This is not China rising on the world stage. It is China sinking to new lows.
The Chinese don't even think about you.
lmso, beta china simp
doesn't matter ... market still pumps ... banks fail .. doesn't matter ... inflation getting higher mom.. doesn't matter. putin xi meeting and planning ..doesn't matter ... markets will continue pumping ... what a scam... it'll only take them one day to fall 30% sadly. .keep buying daily
US Europe desire for WW3 , Russia China Alliance should entertain them , just go for it . After WW3, things will be better.
china remains russias friend because they are a fan of murder too
Xi is taller
Should US start a war with Russia or/and China soon? If US can defeat these two, not only US win back the defeat in Korea/Vietnam..., but also strengthen $. and build absolutely power to look down the whole world.
it's not ping pong with Atomic power wars. Do you think it is like playing X Box at home? War with China and US will become World War which will destroy whole world and US will also be destroyed. Wake up crazy and take away your rubbish idea of War.
how sweet.. two nasty authoritarian dictators joining hands to oppress their own people and anyone else that fall under their malign influence..
They’re are both pathetic
Trump warned us about this. Russia and China becoming allies will cripple the US.
biden, rent-free in your head. sad...
Solid proof! Lol.. I thought the proof was buried in the basement of the pizza parlor where the Clinton's ate babies?
This is too easy. You dolts counter with feeble projection and rehearsed dem descriptors instead of confronting logic and your failed ideologies. Again.. just sad.
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