Putin, Xi discuss Trump, Ukraine & Taiwan

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed on Tuesday how to build ties with Donald Trump, prospects for a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine and Moscow’s firm support for Beijing’s position on Taiwan.

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Xi and Putin, who spoke for an hour and 35 minutes by video call after Trump was sworn in as US President, proposed a further deepening of the strategic partnership between their countries which worries the West.

China and Russia declared a “no limits” partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing, days before he sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine. Putin has in recent months described China as an “ally”.

Putin, 72, speaking from his Novo-Ogarevo residency outside Moscow and Xi, 71, speaking from the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, called each other “dear friends”, and Xi told Putin about a call with Trump on Friday on TikTok, trade and Taiwan.

Xi and Putin “have indicated a willingness to build relations with the United States on a mutually beneficial, mutually respectful basis, if the Trump team really shows interest in this,” Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters in Moscow. “It was also noted from our side that we are ready for dialogue with the new US administration on the Ukrainian conflict.”

Trump has said he will be tough on China and speak to Putin about ending the war in Ukraine. — Reuters