Putin and Xi tout friendship during meeting

Chinese President Xi Jinping traveled to Moscow to meet his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.  The meeting took place a few days after an arrest warrant was issued for Putin by the ICC in relation to alleged war crimes in Ukraine.

The two men met for 4 hours on Monday and referred to each other as “Dear friend” during the meeting.

Putin said he was “slightly envious” of China’s “very effective system” of economic growth, while Xi said Russia had made “great strides in its prosperous development”.

Xi will spend 3 days in Russia in a trip that both countries said will expand their “no limits friendship.”

The United States hit out at the meeting and said its showed Beijing was providing Moscow with “diplomatic cover” to carry out further attacks on Ukraine.

Putin took aim at The United States in an article, which was published in the Chinese People’s Newspaper, that the two nations were not prepared to accept attempts to weaken them.

“The US 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,” Putin wrote.

Beijing said it was a normal visit to Moscow and one which would promote a “journey of friendship, cooperation and peace”.

Despite the countries discussing a “strategic partnership” China maintained that it would stay neutral in Russia’s war with Ukraine.

“China will uphold its objective and fair position on the Ukrainian crisis and play a constructive role in promoting peace talks,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.