Xi and Putin Sign Joint Pact to Deepen Strategic Ties Amid Rising Global Tensions
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a joint statement Thursday in Moscow, vowing to further deepen their strategic partnership—a powerful display of solidarity amid rising global tensions and shifting international dynamics shaped in part by former U.S. President Donald Trump’s “America First” policies.
Meeting in the Kremlin after approximately four hours of talks, the two leaders signed what Chinese state media called a “joint statement on further deepening China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.” The document marked another in a series of sweeping communiqués issued during their frequent bilateral meetings.
In their public remarks, both leaders cast their alliance as a cornerstone of global stability, pushing back against Western critiques—despite Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
“In today’s challenging geopolitical landscape and mounting global uncertainty, the Russia-China foreign policy partnership stands as a key stabilizing force on the world stage,” Putin said, according to a Kremlin readout. “Together, we are defending the creation of a more just and democratic multipolar world order.”
Xi echoed the sentiment, calling the two countries “stable, positive, and progressive forces” in the international community. He urged deeper cooperation to guide global governance “in the right direction” and to foster inclusive economic globalization, at a time when the U.S. has withdrawn from key international institutions and rattled global markets with protectionist rhetoric.
Earlier, Xi took aim at Washington’s global stance, criticizing “unilateralism and hegemonic practices of the powerful,” and stressing that China and Russia bear “special responsibilities” in countering such trends.
Xi arrived in Moscow on Wednesday for a four-day state visit and is expected to be the top foreign guest at Putin’s carefully staged Victory Day military parade—held this year under the shadow of Russia’s prolonged war in Ukraine. The event marks 80 years since the Allied victory in World War II.
The summit comes amid a rapidly evolving global order. While the U.S. and China remain locked in an escalating trade war—fueled by Trump-era tariffs—Russia, once cautiously optimistic about Trump, now watches closely as Washington strengthens ties with Kyiv.
Still, Putin and Xi sought to project calm confidence. Ahead of the visit, Putin called Xi his “main guest” for Victory Day. On Thursday, they exchanged handshakes in a grand Kremlin hall adorned with oversized national flags and referred to one another as “friend” during opening remarks.
“Our relationship is composed and confident, stable and resilient,” Xi said.
Over the past decade, the two leaders have met more than 40 times, steadily deepening ties as both face mounting pressure from the West. Their latest joint statement outlined “ambitious goals,” including bolstered economic and technological cooperation and a target to significantly expand trade and investment by 2030.
“Daily work continues to sustain positive trade dynamics,” Putin noted, highlighting that Russia is now the top importer of Chinese vehicles and welcoming China’s transfer of industrial know-how to Russian soil.
China has become a crucial economic lifeline for sanction-hit Russia. The two nations hit record trade volumes last year, with China stepping in to fill gaps left by Western companies. Though Western leaders accuse Beijing of fueling Moscow’s war effort through dual-use exports, China denies those claims.
Xi called the new pact “a fresh engine for the development of China-Russia relations” and praised the “leap forward” in their ties over the past decade—despite growing global instability.
Alongside the joint statement, the two sides also signed more than 20 cooperation agreements spanning global security, international law, investment protection, digital economy, biosecurity, quarantine inspection, and even film collaboration.
Ukraine War Casts Shadow Over Putin’s Victory Day Parade
The Moscow summit comes just hours after a unilateral three-day ceasefire in Ukraine, declared by Putin last month, went into effect to coincide with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations. According to state news agency Tass, the ceasefire began at midnight local time Wednesday (5 p.m. ET Tuesday).
Despite the announcement, Ukraine’s air force reported that Russian forces launched guided bombs overnight on the northeastern city of Sumy—a claim CNN has not independently verified.
Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a warning to foreign dignitaries planning to attend the event, saying Kyiv “cannot be responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation” during the ongoing war—a comment the Kremlin condemned as a threat.
Drone Strikes and Global Tensions Frame Putin’s Victory Day Parade
Ukraine has launched multiple drone strikes on Moscow throughout the course of the war, including several in recent days, triggering temporary airport closures in the Russian capital. Kyiv says these attacks are retaliatory measures in response to Russia’s continued bombardment of Ukrainian cities, including strikes on residential areas and critical energy infrastructure.
Despite the ongoing conflict, more than two dozen world leaders are expected to attend Russia’s Victory Day celebrations in Moscow. According to the Kremlin, military personnel from 13 countries will take part in the parade. Notable attendees include Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.
The gathering offers President Putin a platform to reinforce his image as a key global figure, even as he faces growing international condemnation and geopolitical unrest—including rising tensions between India and Pakistan that threaten to escalate into open conflict.
Victory Day, celebrated on May 9, is one of Russia’s most significant national holidays, commemorating the Soviet Union’s 1945 defeat of Nazi Germany. Under Putin, the event has taken on heightened political and symbolic importance, with the Russian leader falsely invoking “denazification” to justify his war in Ukraine. Recent years have seen the parade scaled back militarily, as much of Russia’s equipment remains deployed on the Ukrainian front lines.
Meanwhile, Europe will mark VE Day—Victory in Europe Day—on Thursday, commemorating Germany’s unconditional surrender on all fronts in World War II.
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