Russia: President Putin and XI toasted on “no-limit friendship” at Kremlin palace

During a Kremlin meeting, President Vladimir Putin and Chinese president XI Jinping toasted their “no-limit friendship” on Tuesday, March 21. Its primary objective was to expand the ties between Russia and China amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The west finds it disturbing as both countries have stronger bilateral relations than ever.

President Putin claimed that he and Xi held a “meaningful and serious discussion over the perspectives of further developing Russia-China bilateral ties and on increasing cooperation on the global stage” during their lengthy meeting.

A few days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the Russian president for his participation in the kidnapping of hundreds of children from Ukraine, Xi’s three-day visit to Russia gives Putin a significant political boost and raises worries for the west.

During the meeting, Putin once again accused the west of provoking the conflict by sending military assistance to Ukraine. He stated that Moscow sees no signs that the Kyiv administration and its Western backers are prepared for peace negotiations.

Even though both leaders of Russia and China announced a new strategic cooperation between their nations and advocated for a diplomatic resolution to Moscow’s war against Ukraine.

Putin praised China’s “neutral stance” on the war but accused the United States and other Western nations of fighting “to the last Ukrainian” after two days of talks with Xi at the Kremlin. XI Jinping, the president of China, is in Moscow on a three-day visit.

The United Nations Charter “must be observed and international law must be respected,” according to Beijing and Moscow, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

However, Beijing did not demand Russia withdraw its troops from Ukraine or respect Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders.

Favouring Russia, China recently presented a 12-point plan suggesting an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine. The western countries rejected the request as the proposal was designed for Russia’s benefit and territorial gains, including the annexation of Crimea and recognizing the land as Russia’s territory, which Putin’s forces captured during its thirteen-month ongoing invasion, which is still ongoing.