Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Visits Beijing to Discuss Recent Events in Russia

A top Russian diplomat visited Beijing on Sunday for talks with the Chinese government, a day after a rebellion by a Russian mercenary commander fizzled out.

Andrei Rudenko, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, met with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang to discuss “international and regional issues of common concern”, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The visit follows Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the mercenary Wagner Group, ordering his troops to march on Moscow before reaching a deal with the Kremlin on Saturday to go into exile and sound the retreat.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been monitoring the events of the last two days and has been in touch with Russian leadership. He said in an interview on “Face the Nation” that his team had been instructed to engage with the Russians, first and foremost, to make sure that they understood their responsibilities in terms of protecting personnel and ensuring their safety.

Russia and China have maintained close ties throughout, however China has not officially commented on the crisis in Russia. It is unclear what was discussed during Rudenko’s visit, but it is likely that the two countries discussed the situation in Russia and the implications of the aborted rebellion.