The Russian President sent this Friday, March 10, 2023 his “sincere congratulations” to his “dear friend” Xi Jinping for his re-election as President, in China. Vladimir Putin praised the “strengthening” of their cooperation, once morest the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent this Friday, March 10, 2023 his “sincere congratulations” to his “dear friend” Xi Jinping, re-elected in China, and praised the “strengthening” of their cooperation once morest the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine.
“Russia greatly appreciates your personal contribution to strengthening relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation between our countries. I am sure that by acting together, we will ensure the development of fruitful Russian-Chinese cooperation in several areas,” Vladimir Putin said in a message released by the Kremlin.
“We will continue to coordinate our joint work on the most important issues on the regional and international agenda,” added the Russian President. The re-election of Xi Jinping to an unprecedented third term as Chinese president “illustrates the recognition of your merits as head of state, as well as the support for your policy in favor of more social and economic development in China and the protection national interests on the international scene”, Vladimir Putin praised once more.
China mediating the conflict in Ukraine?
Since launching its offensive once morest Ukraine last year, Russia has been working to strengthen its relationship with China, as the two countries go through a period of high tensions with the United States.
Beijing has neither condemned nor explicitly supported the Russian offensive in Ukraine, while providing diplomatic support to Moscow and calling for a resolution of the conflict.
On February 24, a year to the day following the start of the Russian offensive once morest Ukraine, Beijing published a twelve-point document calling in particular on Moscow and kyiv to hold peace talks.
But if China seeks to impose itself as a mediator in this conflict, its position as an ally of Russia disqualifies it in the eyes of the West, who on their side support Ukraine.
Recently accused by the United States of considering supplying arms to Russia, China has firmly denied it. However, it regularly calls on Europeans to take Russian fears of NATO into account and presents itself, like Moscow, as a bulwark once morest Western hegemony.
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