Lalrp.org: 
Xi’s airplane arrived at Vnukovo Worldwide Airport simply southwest of the Russian capital, at roughly 1 p.m. native time Monday. Preliminary talks had been scheduled to start later that afternoon.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned Monday that the leaders would focus on the prospects for peace “a technique or one other” and that Ukraine would “undoubtedly be on the agenda.”
Forward of the assembly, the 2 leaders every revealed articles — Xi’s carried in Rossiyskaya Gazeta; Putin’s within the Folks’s Day by day — during which they denounced what they portrayed as U.S.-led Western hegemony, and vanity.
Putin attacked america straight in his article. “The U.S.’s coverage of concurrently deterring Russia and China, in addition to all those that don’t bend to American dictation, is getting ever extra fierce and aggressive,” Putin wrote. “The worldwide safety and cooperation structure is being dismantled. Russia has been labeled an ‘fast risk’ and China a ‘strategic competitor.’”
Xi merely alluded to Washington, writing: “The worldwide group is properly conscious that no nation on the planet is superior to all others. There is no such thing as a common mannequin of presidency and there’s no world order the place the decisive phrase belongs to a single nation. Solidarity and peace on the planet with out splits and upheavals meet the frequent pursuits of all mankind.”
Xi and Putin are anticipated to debate alternatives to construct their bilateral partnership, together with higher financial cooperation, which has soared over the previous 12 months and turn out to be more and more very important to Russia amid the chew of Western sanctions and punitive measures in opposition to Russian vitality exports. In 2022, Chinese language exports to Russia elevated by 12.8 %, whereas Russian exports to China of crude oil elevated, in greenback phrases, by 44 % and exports of fuel rose by greater than one hundred pc.
The leaders might also handle Russia’s want for deadly weapons from China, because the battle in Ukraine stalls and Kyiv awaits deliveries of extra highly effective and complicated weapons from the West, together with battle tanks and air defenses.
China professes to be impartial within the battle, however Xi has not condemned Russia’s invasion or Putin’s effort to annex 4 Ukrainian areas in a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and worldwide regulation.
Xi is predicted to lift to a 12-point peace plan he put ahead final month, which known as for an finish to “unilateral sanctions” however notably didn’t demand Russia’s withdrawal from occupied Ukrainian territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed openness to talking with Xi however has vowed to reclaim all occupied lands.
Xi’s journey, whereas delivering Putin a much-needed distraction from Russia’s failures on the battlefield, additionally highlights his nation’s rising dependence on China, considered one of its few remaining allies and companions.
“We now have excessive expectations for the upcoming talks,” Putin wrote within the Folks’s Day by day article. “We now have little doubt that they may give a brand new highly effective impetus to our bilateral cooperation in its entirety. That is additionally a terrific alternative for me to satisfy with my good outdated pal with whom we benefit from the warmest relationship.”
In the meantime, Xi wrote that the go to aimed to strengthen the international locations’ “friendship, cooperation and peace.”
“I’m prepared, along with President Vladimir Putin, to stipulate new plans and measures within the title of opening up new prospects for China-Russia relations of complete partnership and strategic cooperation,” he wrote.
Over the weekend, Putin made a shock journey to the occupied metropolis of Mariupol, as soon as once more staking his declare to invaded Ukrainian lands. Russian forces all however destroyed town throughout a months-long siege earlier than seizing it final spring.
Ukrainians reacted with anger and dismay to the go to, noting that Putin is accused by the Worldwide Prison Courtroom of illegally taking Ukrainian 1000’s kids to Russia, a lot of whom got here from Mariupol.
Xi can be anticipated to chatting with Zelensky following his Russia journey, which might be capped by a proper state dinner on the Kremlin.
A spokesman for Zelensky, Serhiy Nykyforov, mentioned Friday that “there are not any particular agreements” about when the decision would happen however that “the work is in progress.”
“This subject, amongst others, was mentioned by international ministers of Ukraine and China,” Nykyforov wrote in a textual content message.
