Key takeaways:
- Putin and Xi held a face-to-face meeting in Moscow
- The meeting comes days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin
- Xi’s three-day state visit to Moscow is seen as a sign of strengthening ties between the two countries
On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a face-to-face meeting in Moscow. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the two presidents had a “thorough” exchange of views, but he refrained from commenting on the outcome of the first day of Xi’s visit.
The meeting comes days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin, alleging he was “responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.”
In response, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Xi’s visit indicates “China feels no responsibility to hold the Kremlin accountable for the atrocities committed in Ukraine, and instead of even condemning them, it would rather provide diplomatic cover for Russia to continue to commit those very crimes.”
On Tuesday, Putin and Xi are expected to hold official joint events in the Kremlin, including two rounds of Russia-Chinese negotiations, a ceremony for signing documents, statements for the press and a state dinner.
Xi’s three-day state visit to Moscow is the first foreign trip since the start of the pandemic. It is seen as a sign of the strengthening ties between the two countries, as well as a demonstration of China’s support for Russia in the face of international criticism. It is unclear what the outcome of the visit will be, but it is sure to be closely watched by the international community.
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