Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will discuss the geopolitical situation concerning Ukraine and Taiwan in Uzbekistan on Thursday, in what will be their first in-person meeting since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What Happened: “The presidents will discuss both the bilateral agenda and the main regional and international topics,” Russian diplomat and the Kremlin’s top aide Yuri Ushakov said at a briefing in Moscow, Reuters reported.
“Naturally, they will give a positive assessment of the unprecedentedly high level of trust within the bilateral strategic partnership,” he added.
This came hours after Xi’s government said China is willing to work with Vladimir Putin to take the global order “in a more just and reasonable direction.” Beijing’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi told the Russian ambassador on Monday that with Xi and Putin at the helm, “the relationship between the two countries has always been on the right track, and both sides firmly support each other on issues relating to their core interests.”
Xi will be on a state visit to Kazakhstan on Wednesday. He would then meet the Russian President on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization‘s summit in the ancient Silk Road city of Samarkand.
Ushakov said China “clearly understands the reasons that forced Russia to launch its special military operation. This issue, of course, will be thoroughly discussed during the upcoming meeting.”
