Xi and Putin Bolster Alliance as Ukraine War Looms Over Russia-US Summit

In a pivotal phone call on Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin reinforced their robust strategic partnership, discussing the Ukraine crisis as Putin prepares for a high-stakes summit with US President Donald Trump. Initiated at Putin’s request, the conversation highlighted Moscow’s perspective on the ongoing conflict, which began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2024, and recent Russia-US communications.

The call comes amid pressure from Trump, who, through his special envoy Steven Witkoff’s recent Moscow visit, has pushed for a ceasefire and potential peace deal in Ukraine. Xi emphasized China’s consistent stance on promoting peace talks, stating, “Complex problems have no simple solutions,” and expressed support for continued Russia-US dialogue to achieve a political resolution.

Since 2013, Xi and Putin have cultivated a formidable China-Russia alliance, marked by deep political, military, and trade ties, with China emerging as the largest buyer of Russian oil and gas. Despite denying allegations of supplying arms to Moscow, China maintains strategic ambiguity on the Ukraine conflict. Putin, set to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin on August 31-September 1, reaffirmed that the Russia-China partnership remains unshakable.

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Following the SCO summit, Putin will attend a grand military parade in Beijing on September 3, commemorating the 80th anniversary of China’s victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. Both leaders committed to further strengthening bilateral ties, with Putin acknowledging China’s constructive role in seeking a political solution to the Ukraine crisis.

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