A UNITED FRONT: Xi Jingping and Vladimir Putin hold talks at Kremlin, Moscow.

  By Ruzeki, Shadow News 

Summary 

Xi Jingping and Vladimir Putin meet for ceremony, talks and later state dinner.

Japanese PM Kishida arrives in Ukraine to meet Zelenskyy. 

Full details of Xi’s talks with Putin on Ukraine peace plan not yet made public. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping is meeting with his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin for formal talks at the Kremlin. The second day of his three-day official trip. 

It’s Xi’s first visit since the Russian special military operations in Ukraine — and Beijing has billed the trip as a peace mission but has not yet indicated if a formal call with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky will also take place. 

Xi has invited Putin — his “dear friend” upon arrival for the state visit — to visit China later this year. It’s another show of support for Moscow despite the recent International Criminal Court  arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin. 

Putin and Xi appear to be positioning themselves as the leaders of a new global order opposed to the Western power. The U.S. has accused Xi of providing “diplomatic cover” for Putin after the ICC issued a warrant for his arrest. 

Key Updates now

• Xi and Putin take part in a signing ceremony of joint documents, according to the Kremlin. 
• Details have not been made public but they are expected to agree to formally deepen relations and economic cooperation. 
• Moscow has become increasingly dependent on Beijing to keep its economy afloat, as the war curbs its exports of oil and other commodities. 
• Beijing has portrayed itself as a potential negotiator, issuing a 12-point proposal for ending the conflict. 
• The media has portrayed the visit as Xi’s bid for leadership of the non-Western world. 
• Meanwhile, the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has arrived in Kyiv to meet with Zelensky and show support. 

Day Two, Tuesday: 

The large golden doors swung open and TV cameras tracked presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin as they strode toward each other from either side of the Kremlin’s St. George’s Hall, marking the beginning of a highly anticipated meeting. 

The gilded hall, with its marble floors and golden chandeliers, is the largest in the Kremlin and is dedicated to Russia’s military glory. Xi and Putin met in the middle of a long red carpet, smiling as they shook hands, before taking their positions. 

As their national anthems played, the Russian and Chinese presidents stood solemnly side by side, dwarfed by two large national flags. 

The grandiose optics, as well as their matching red ties, were a message: the image of a new, united front against the West. 

The ceremony preceded the main official talks on the second day of Xi’s three-day state visit to Russia. 

We shall keep updating you as new information about Xi and Putin talks is available.