Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Chinese leader Xi Jinping to the Kremlin on Monday, in a visit that sent a powerful message to Western leaders allied with Ukraine that their efforts to isolate Moscow have fallen short.
As he greeted Xi, Putin also said he welcomed his plan for 害羞草研究所渟ettlement of the acute crisis in Ukraine.害羞草研究所�
Xi害羞草研究所檚 visit showed off Beijing害羞草研究所檚 new diplomatic swagger and gave a political lift to Putin just days after an on war crimes charges related to Ukraine.
The two major powers have described Xi害羞草研究所檚 three-day trip as an opportunity to deepen their 害羞草研究所渘o-limits friendship.害羞草研究所� China looks to Russia as a source of oil and gas for its energy-hungry economy, and as a partner in standing up to what both see as U.S. domination of global affairs. The two countries, which are among the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, also have held .
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that over dinner on Monday, Putin and Xi will likely include a 害羞草研究所渄etailed explanation害羞草研究所� of Moscow害羞草研究所檚 actions in Ukraine.
Broader talks involving officials from both countries on a range of subjects are scheduled for Tuesday, Peskov said.
For Putin, Xi害羞草研究所檚 presence is a prestigious, diplomatic triumph amid Western efforts to isolate Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.
In an article published in the Chinese People害羞草研究所檚 Daily newspaper, Putin described Xi害羞草研究所檚 visit as a 害羞草研究所渓andmark event害羞草研究所� that 害羞草研究所渞eaffirms the special nature of the Russia-China partnership.害羞草研究所�
Putin also specifically said the meeting sent a message to Washington that the two countries aren害羞草研究所檛 prepared to accept attempts to weaken them.
害羞草研究所淭he U.S. policy of simultaneously deterring Russia and China, as well as all those who do not bend to the American diktat, is getting ever fiercer and more aggressive,害羞草研究所� he wrote.
Xi害羞草研究所檚 trip came after the International Criminal Court in The Hague announced Friday it for the abductions of thousands of children from Ukraine.
China portrays Xi害羞草研究所檚 visit as part of normal diplomatic exchanges and has offered little detail about what the trip aims to accomplish, though the nearly 13 months of war in Ukraine cast a long shadow on the talks.
At a daily briefing in Beijing on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Xi害羞草研究所檚 trip was a 害羞草研究所渏ourney of friendship, cooperation and peace.害羞草研究所�
On the war, Wang said: 害羞草研究所淐hina will uphold its objective and fair position on the Ukrainian crisis and play a constructive role in promoting peace talks.害羞草研究所�
Beijing害羞草研究所檚 leap into Ukraine issues follows its recent success in brokering talks between Iran and its chief Middle Eastern rival, Saudi Arabia, which agreed to restore their diplomatic ties after years of tensions.
Following that success, Xi called for China to play a
害羞草研究所淧resident Xi will have an in-depth exchange of views with President Putin on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues of common concern,害羞草研究所� Wang said.
He added that Xi aims to 害羞草研究所減romote strategic coordination and practical cooperation between the two countries and inject new impetus into the development of bilateral relations.害羞草研究所�
Although they boast of a 害羞草研究所渘o-limits害羞草研究所� partnership, Beijing has conducted a China First policy. It has shrunk from supplying Russia害羞草研究所檚 war machine 害羞草研究所� a move that could worsen relations with Washington and turn important European trade partners against Beijing. On the other hand, it has refused to condemn Moscow害羞草研究所檚 aggression and has censured Western sanctions against Moscow, while accusing NATO and the United States of provoking Putin害羞草研究所檚 military action.
China last month called for a cease-fire and peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cautiously welcomed Beijing害羞草研究所檚 involvement, but the overture fizzled.
The Kremlin has welcomed China害羞草研究所檚 peace plan and said Putin and Xi would discuss it.
Washington strongly rejected Beijing害羞草研究所檚 call for a cease-fire as the effective ratification of the Kremlin害羞草研究所檚 battlefield gains.
Kyiv officials say they won害羞草研究所檛 bend in their terms for a peace accord.
害羞草研究所淭he first and main point is the capitulation or withdrawal of the Russian occupation troops from the territory of Ukraine in accordance with the norms of international law and the UN Charter,害羞草研究所� Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine害羞草研究所檚 National Security and Defense Council, tweeted on Monday.
That means restoring 害羞草研究所渟overeignty, independence and territorial integrity,害羞草研究所� he wrote.
The Kremlin doesn害羞草研究所檛 recognize the authority of the International Criminal Court and has rejected its move against Putin as 害羞草研究所渓egally null and void.害羞草研究所� China, the U.S. and Ukraine also don害羞草研究所檛 recognize the ICC, but the court害羞草研究所檚 announcement tarnished Putin害羞草研究所檚 international standing.
China害羞草研究所檚 Foreign Ministry called on the ICC to 害羞草研究所渞espect the jurisdictional immunity害羞草研究所� of a head of state and 害羞草研究所渁void politicization and double standards.害羞草研究所�
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia害羞草研究所檚 Security Council, said the ICC害羞草研究所檚 move will have 害羞草研究所渕onstrous consequences害羞草研究所� for international law.
害羞草研究所淎 gloomy sunset of the entire system of international relations is coming, trust is exhausted,害羞草研究所� Medvedev wrote on his messaging app channel. He argued that in the past, the ICC has destroyed its credibility by failing to prosecute what he called U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq.
He also cautioned that the court in The Hague could be a target for a Russian missile strike. Medvedev has in the past made bombastic statements and claims.
Russia害羞草研究所檚 Investigative Committee said Monday it is opening a criminal case against a prosecutor and three judges of the ICC over the arrest warrants they issued for Putin and his commissioner for children害羞草研究所檚 rights, Maria Lvova-Belova. The committee called the ICC害羞草研究所檚 prosecution 害羞草研究所渦nlawful害羞草研究所� because it was, among other things, a 害羞草研究所渃riminal prosecution of a knowingly innocent person.害羞草研究所�
