Russia’s Putin to visit China following Trump’s trip
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- Putin will travel to China for an official visit on May 19‑20, the Kremlin announced.
- Treaty of Good‑Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation marks the 25th anniversary of the 2001 agreement between Moscow and Beijing.
- Xi Jinping and Putin intend to “further strengthen the comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation” during the visit.
- Li Qiang will meet Putin to discuss economic and trade cooperation, including continued Russian oil purchases.
- Trump departed Beijing after his first presidential visit in nearly a decade, where he and Xi touted trade deals but made little progress on Taiwan or the US‑Israel‑Iran conflict.
Why it matters: Russia gains a stable market for its oil and goods as China deepens purchases in roubles and yuan, while the United States sees its diplomatic pressure on Moscow eroded by the strengthened Moscow‑Beijing trade link.
