Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to China on May 19 for a two-day visit aimed at strengthening what Moscow calls its “comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation” with Beijing, the Kremlin said on Saturday.
The visit comes shortly after US President Donald Trump concluded a trip to China, highlighting intensifying diplomatic activity among major global powers.
During his stay, Putin is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss ways to “further strengthen the comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation” between the two countries, according to a Kremlin statement.
The two leaders will also “exchange views on key international and regional issues” and are expected to sign a joint declaration after their talks.
Putin is additionally scheduled to meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang to discuss trade and economic cooperation.
The timing of the visit follows Trump’s recent trip to Beijing, which ended on Friday without any major breakthroughs on key issues, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and tensions involving Iran.
Although Ukraine remains a central point of global diplomacy, China has maintained a position calling for negotiations but has not condemned Russia’s 2022 invasion. Beijing also denies supplying Moscow with weapons, while Western countries accuse it of indirectly supporting Russia’s war effort.
China has instead positioned itself as a neutral party and has repeatedly blamed Western military support for Ukraine for prolonging the conflict.
Meanwhile, economic ties between Moscow and Beijing have deepened significantly, with China becoming Russia’s largest buyer of oil and gas following Western sanctions imposed after the war began.
Efforts led by the United States to broker peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have largely stalled, with Moscow continuing to reject ceasefire proposals unless Kyiv accepts its conditions.
