Russia: China’s Foreign Minister Mr. Wang Yi is visiting Russia for security talks with Russian Foreign Minister Mr. Sergey Lavrovas as Moscow seeks continued support for its war on Ukraine. Beijing has always been accused by western countries of supporting Russia indirectly during the war.
Earlier this month, Russian President Mr. Vladimir Putin said he expected to meet Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping but did not say when. The Russian President has not travelled abroad since the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him in March over war crimes in Ukraine. Mr. Putin’s last visit to a foreign country was in December 2022, when he visited Belarus and Kyrgyzstan.
According to China’s Foreign Ministry, Mr. Wang is in Russia for four days for “strategic security consultations.” “The Chinese diplomat is expected to meet Lavrov to discuss a wide range of bilateral cooperation issues, which include a detailed exchange of views on issues related to a settlement in Ukraine,” a previous statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry noted.
The scheduled meeting comes soon after a closely watched summit between Russian President Mr. Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Mr. Kim Jong Un, which the United States has warned could lead to Pyongyang supplying Moscow with munitions for its war in Ukraine. Russia and North Korea said they talked about “military cooperation” and aid for Pyongyang’s satellite programme.
Mr. Wang’s visit to Russia also comes a day after he met US national security adviser Mr. Jake Sullivan in Malta. According to reports, the two men had also discussed regional security and the Ukraine war, in addition to the US-China relationship.
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