Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed his “boundless” partnership in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, Chinese state media reported, on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The leaders held talks as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for a quick deal to end the war in Ukraine, raising the prospect that Washington could drive a wedge between Xi and Putin and focus on competing with the world’s second-largest economy.
Trump has angered Washington’s European allies by excluding them and Ukraine from talks with Russia last week and blaming Ukraine for Russia’s 2022 invasion.
This is the second phone call between the two leaders this year, after they discussed how to build ties with Trump in January.
China and Russia declared a “no-holds-barred” strategic partnership, days before Putin sent tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine in February 2022. Xi has met Putin more than 40 times in the past decade, and Putin has described China as an “ally” in recent months.
Beijing has refused to condemn Moscow for its role in the war, Reuters reports.
