Putin to Visit China Days After Trump's Beijing Summit
Primary region China
Tags Diplomacy · Security
Regions China · Europe · BRICS
Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China in the coming days to meet Xi Jinping, with the Kremlin saying the two leaders plan to 'further strengthen the comprehensive partnership.' The visit was announced on May 16, immediately following Trump's Beijing summit, and is expected to take place the following week. The timing underscores the deepening Russia-China alignment at a moment of heightened great power competition.
Strategic interpretation
The sequencing of Trump's visit followed immediately by Putin's creates a symbolic narrative of China as the central node in great power diplomacy, with both Washington and Moscow seeking Beijing's attention. For China, hosting both leaders in quick succession reinforces Xi's positioning as an indispensable mediator. For Russia, the visit ensures that Moscow is not sidelined by any US-China rapprochement and maintains the strategic partnership that has been crucial to Russia's economic survival under sanctions.