Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, on Wednesday in Beijing, the Kremlin announced on Monday, seven months after the summit in Moscow that sealed a “limitless” friendship between the two countries.
The meeting between the two leaders will take place on Wednesday “on the sidelines of the third international ‘Belt and Road’ forum,” according to a Kremlin statement.
“The leaders will discuss in a friendly and frank manner […] the urgent problems of bilateral practical cooperation and the international agenda,” explained the Kremlin’s diplomatic advisor Yuri Ushakov, quoted by Russian press agencies.
The advisor specified that the conversations between Putin and Xi will be in an “expanded format” at first, with other members of the respective governments, and that they will then speak during a “working breakfast” in a restricted group.
Likewise, Ushakov indicated that it was not “ruled out” that both leaders spoke alone, “face to face.”
Putin, who will travel to China along with several Russian businessmen, will also speak at the “Belt and Road” forum, the Russian diplomat indicated.
Russia, sanctioned by the West because of its offensive against Ukraine, has been seeking for months to strengthen ties – economic, military, in the field of energy, etc. – with China.
During his trip, Putin will also meet with the leaders of Vietnam, Laos, Mongolia and Thailand.