MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin warmly welcomed Chinese language chief Xi Jinping to the Kremlin on Monday, sending a strong message to Western leaders that their efforts to isolate Moscow over the preventing in Ukraine have fallen quick.

Xi’s journey — his first overseas since his re-election earlier this month — confirmed off Beijing’s new diplomatic swagger and gave a political elevate to Putin simply days after a world arrest warrant was issued for the Kremlin chief on battle crimes fees associated to Ukraine.

The 2 main powers have described Xi’s three-day journey as a possibility to deepen their “no-limits friendship.” China appears to be like to Russia as a supply of oil and fuel for its energy-hungry economic system, and as a companion in standing as much as what each see as U.S. aggression, domination of world affairs and unfair punishment for his or her human rights data.

The 2 international locations, among the many 5 U.N. Safety Council’s everlasting members, even have held joint navy drills, and U.S. officers have picked up indications China is contemplating supplying Russia with weapons for its battle in Ukraine however have seen no proof they’ve truly performed so.

They smiled and shook palms earlier than sitting down and making transient statements firstly of their assembly within the Kremlin, calling one another “expensive pal” and exchanging compliments. Putin congratulated Xi on his re-election and voiced hope for constructing even stronger ties.

“China has made a colossal leap forward in its growth in recent times,” Putin mentioned, including that “it’s inflicting real curiosity all around the globe, and we even really feel a bit envious,” as Xi smiled.

He welcomed China’s proposals for a political settlement in Ukraine and famous Russia is open for talks.

“We are going to talk about all these points, together with your initiative that we extremely respect,” Putin mentioned. “Our cooperation within the worldwide area undoubtedly helps strengthen the essential rules of the worldwide order and multipolarity.”

Moscow and Beijing share a trigger: Each international locations have accused Washington of making an attempt to isolate them and maintain again their growth as they problem it for regional and international management.

In an more and more multipolar world, the U.S. and its allies have been unable to construct a broad entrance in opposition to Putin. Whereas 141 international locations condemned Moscow in a United Nations vote marking the primary anniversary of Russian troops rolling into Ukraine, a number of members of the G-20 — together with India, China and South Africa — abstained. As properly, many African nations have shunned brazenly criticizing Russia.

“We hope that the strategic partnership between China and Russia will on the one hand uphold worldwide equity and justice, and however promote the frequent prosperity and growth of our international locations,” Xi mentioned.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned that over dinner, Putin will probably supply Xi a “detailed clarification” of Moscow’s actions in Ukraine. Broader talks involving each international locations’ officers on a spread of topics are scheduled Tuesday, he added.

For Putin, Xi’s presence is a prestigious, diplomatic increase to indicate partnership within the face of Western efforts to isolate Russia over Ukraine.

In an article printed within the Chinese language Folks’s Day by day newspaper, Putin described Xi’s go to as a “landmark occasion” that “reaffirms the particular nature of the Russia-China partnership.”

Putin additionally particularly mentioned the assembly despatched a message to Washington that the 2 international locations aren’t ready to simply accept makes an attempt to weaken them.

“The U.S. coverage of concurrently deterring Russia and China, in addition to all those that don’t bend to the American diktat, is getting ever fiercer and extra aggressive,” he wrote.

Xi’s journey got here after the Worldwide Felony Courtroom in The Hague introduced Friday it desires to place Putin on trial for the abductions of 1000’s of youngsters from Ukraine.

China portrays Xi’s go to as a part of regular diplomatic exchanges and has supplied little element about what the journey goals to perform, although Ukraine forged an extended shadow on the talks.

At a each day briefing in Beijing on Monday, International Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin mentioned China “will uphold its goal and honest place on the Ukrainian disaster and play a constructive position in selling peace talks,” he mentioned. Xi did not instantly point out the Ukraine preventing or his peace plan when he sat down for the talks with Putin on Monday.

Beijing’s leap into Ukraine points follows its current success in brokering talks between Iran and its chief Center Jap rival, Saudi Arabia, which agreed to revive their diplomatic ties after years of tensions.

Following that success, Xi known as for China to play a much bigger position in managing international affairs.

Though they boast of a “no-limits” partnership, Beijing has carried out a China First coverage. It has shrunk from supplying Russia’s navy — a transfer that might worsen relations with Washington and switch vital European commerce companions in opposition to Beijing. Then again, it has refused to sentence Moscow’s aggression and criticized Western sanctions in opposition to Moscow, whereas accusing NATO and the US of frightening Putin’s navy motion.

Western strain has made Russia more and more reliant on Beijing, observers mentioned.

Alexander Gabuev, a senior fellow on the Carnegie Endowment, famous that Beijing is aiming at “getting Russia as a junior companion deeper into China pocket.”

Dmitry Oreshkin, professor at Free College in Riga, noticed that Beijing stands to profit from tensions between Moscow and the West by getting low-cost Russian power assets. “It’s very handy for China, which could not get such a reduction earlier than,” he mentioned.

China final month known as for a cease-fire and peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cautiously welcomed Beijing’s involvement, however the overture fizzled.

The Kremlin has welcomed China’s peace plan, whereas U,S, Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned Monday that any proposal that left Russian forces in place in Ukraine would merely let Moscow re-equip and in any other case regain power to renew its offensive.

“Calling for a cease-fire that doesn’t embody the elimination of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory would successfully be supporting the ratification of Russian conquest,” he instructed reporters in Washington. “The world shouldn’t be fooled by any tactical transfer by Russia, supported by China or every other nation, to freeze the battle by itself phrases.”

Kyiv officers say they received’t bend of their phrases for a peace accord.

“The primary and foremost level is the capitulation or withdrawal of the Russian occupation troops from the territory of Ukraine in accordance with the norms of worldwide legislation and the UN Constitution,” Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s Nationwide Safety and Protection Council, tweeted on Monday.

Meaning restoring “sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity,” he wrote.

Ukraine’s allies, in the meantime, are stepping up their assist. The State Division introduced Monday that the U.S. will ship Ukraine $350 million in weapons and tools. The newest bundle of support contains ammunition, similar to rockets for the Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket Methods, gas tanker vehicles and riverine boats.

The Kremlin does not acknowledge the authority of the Worldwide Felony Courtroom and has rejected its transfer in opposition to Putin as “legally null and void.” China, the U.S. and Ukraine additionally do not acknowledge the ICC, however the court docket’s announcement tarnished Putin’s worldwide standing.

China’s International Ministry known as on the ICC to “respect the jurisdictional immunity” of a head of state and “keep away from politicization and double requirements.”

Russia’s Investigative Committee mentioned Monday it’s opening a prison case in opposition to a prosecutor and three judges of the ICC over the arrest warrants issued for Putin and his commissioner for youngsters’s rights, Maria Lvova-Belova. The committee known as the ICC’s prosecution “illegal” as a result of it was, amongst different issues, a “prison prosecution of a knowingly harmless particular person.”

___

Observe the AP’s protection of Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine