Chinese President Xi Jinping, on a state visit to Russia, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the 20th (local time). The United States immediately strongly condemned the visit, stating that "China is providing diplomatic cover for Russia's criminal acts." On the same day, the United States and the European Union (EU) also announced plans for additional weapons support to Ukraine.
According to major foreign media, President Putin welcomed President Xi, who visited the Kremlin in Moscow, as a "dear friend" and congratulated him on his third term. He said, "The world has been paying attention to China's rapid development over the past few years, and even Russia envies it," adding, "Under President Xi's leadership, China will develop further." President Xi also described Russia as a "good neighbor and a reliable partner," responding that "China must maintain close relations with Russia." The face-to-face meeting between the two leaders came seven months after the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit held in Uzbekistan last September.
After recently being re-elected as President and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, President Xi accepted Russia's invitation as his first overseas trip. Notably, the meeting took place just three days after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Putin on charges of war crimes in Ukraine, drawing international attention. President Xi will remain in Russia until the 22nd. The two leaders are expected to hold a private meeting and private dinner on the day before attending an official summit and a state banquet with delegations from both countries on the 21st.
China emphasizes mediation in the Ukraine war as the purpose of this visit. In an article for Russian local media, President Xi stated, "This visit will be a journey of peace." President Putin also confirmed before the private meeting that "We are well aware of China's position announced last month to resolve the Ukraine crisis. Russia is always open to negotiations," indicating that they would discuss China's peace talks proposal. He also mentioned that "(China) maintains a fair and balanced stance on most international issues."
Contrary to China's portrayal of President Xi as a peace mediator, Western countries have continued to criticize. The New York Times (NYT) reported on the meeting between President Xi and President Putin, stating, "President Xi's visit could fan the flames of Russia's war." There is also speculation that through this meeting, the two countries may strengthen various forms of cooperation under the pretext of a joint response to the United States.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned President Xi's visit to Russia during the '2022 Human Rights Report' press conference on the same day. Secretary Blinken pointed out that Xi's visit to Russia immediately after the ICC issued the arrest warrant means "China does not acknowledge Russia's responsibility for atrocities committed in Ukraine," adding, "Far from condemnation, China is providing diplomatic cover for Russia's serious crimes."
He said, "(In the talks) China is expected to reiterate its own ceasefire negotiations," emphasizing that "a key element of any plan to end the war is maintaining Ukraine's territory and sovereignty." He also criticized, "The world must not be fooled by Russia's tactical moves backed by China or any other country," adding, "Ukraine has already made peace proposals, but Russia's deliberate occupation of Ukrainian territory and brutal attacks on civilians clearly show that Putin has no interest in such solutions."
On the same day as the China-Russia meeting, the United States announced an additional $350 million (approximately 450 billion KRW) in military aid to Ukraine. This support includes ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and Bradley armored vehicles. The EU also confirmed through Charles Michel, President of the European Council, on Twitter that it will provide an additional one million 155mm artillery shells to Ukraine over the next 12 months. This will be formalized after approval at the EU summit scheduled for the 23rd-24th. The one million shells amount to nearly three times the cumulative ammunition (about 350,000 shells) that EU member states have supplied since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year.
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