The Russian president said the talks with his Chinese counterpart were "successful and constructive," and Putin referred to a discussion of the Power of Siberia II pipeline proposal that would transport Russian gas to China. NATO also warned China against supplying "lethal" weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping were "successful and constructive" and that he hopes to keep in touch with Xi in the future.
At the end of a day of talks between the two leaders, Putin said that China and Russia had signed agreements on strategic cooperation and that Russian energy supplies to China would increase.
The Russian president stressed that he does not see any "readiness" on the part of the Ukrainian authorities to find a solution to the conflict in Ukraine on the basis of the peace plan proposed by China.
Putin said, "We believe that many of the points contained in the peace plan proposed by China (...) can serve as the basis for a peaceful settlement (of the conflict) when they are ready for it in the West and in Kiev. But at the moment we do not see any similar readiness on their part." ".
In turn, the Chinese president confirmed that he had signed an agreement with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, aimed at introducing relations between their two countries into a "new era" of cooperation.
"We signed a declaration on deepening strategic partnership and bilateral relations entering a new era," Xi said, in the presence of Putin, after talks in the Kremlin.
On the second day of Xi's state visit to Moscow, Putin also said the two leaders discussed the Power of Siberia II pipeline proposal that would carry Russian gas to China.
The proposed pipeline will transport 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Russia to China via Mongolia. Moscow floated the idea years ago, but it has gained traction with Russia turning to China to replace Europe as its main gas customer.
"I am convinced that our multifaceted cooperation will continue to develop for the benefit of the peoples of our two countries," Putin said in televised remarks, addressing Xi, adding that Russia is a "strategic supplier" of oil, gas and coal to China.
Xi said China and Russia should work more closely to push forward "practical cooperation".
"The early fruits of our cooperation can be seen, and more cooperation is taking place," Xi told Putin, according to Hong Kong's pay-TV service.
The Russian company Gazprom is already supplying gas to China through the Power of Siberia pipeline under a 30-year deal worth $400 billion that was launched at the end of 2019. This pipeline extends about 3,000 km.
Russia's gas exports to China still represent a small part of the record 177 billion cubic meters that Russia exported to Europe between 2018 and 2019. Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, the quantities exported to Europe have shrunk to about 62 billion cubic meters in 2022.
He said Russia will send China no less than 98 billion cubic meters of gas by 2030.
On the other hand, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg warned China on Tuesday against supplying Russia with "lethal" weapons for use in Ukraine.
This came at a press conference held by Stoltenberg in the Belgian capital, Brussels, according to Anadolu Agency.
"We have not seen any evidence that China is providing lethal weapons to Russia, but we have seen some indications of a request from Russia, and that the Chinese authorities in Beijing are looking into this issue," Stoltenberg said, without giving further details.
He added, "China should not provide lethal aid to Russia to support its illegal war" in Ukraine.
On Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the Russian capital, Moscow, at the invitation of his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, for a visit that will last until Wednesday. This is his first trip abroad since his re-election as Chinese president on March 10.
It is worth noting that the Russian news agency Tass quoted Kremlin foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov as saying today, Tuesday, that President Vladimir Putin may visit China this year.
During his official visit to Moscow, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday invited his Russian counterpart to visit China.
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine, which was followed by international rejection and economic sanctions against Moscow, which requires Kiev to abandon plans to join military entities to end its operation, which the latter considers an "interference" in its sovereignty.
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