Xi Jinping, the leader of communist China, arrived with fanfare in Moscow on Monday ready to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Beijing has called this union a “mission of peace.”
As the world watches these two nations come together and strengthen their ties, concern rises because of the power of both of these countries uniting. Xi is there to negotiate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
The United States has expressed opposition to a ceasefire that was called for by Xi, expressing concerns that a Beijing-brokered peace pact would be one-sided in Russia’s favor.
“I am very glad, at the invitation of President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, to come back to the land of our close neighbor,” Xi said, according to Russian-state-run news service TASS. “I am sure my visit will be fruitful.”
The president of China was greeted in Russia with a red carpet and a military band playing anthems from the two countries. Xi declared that there was a “new era” and maintained that his first state visit to Russia since the start of the ward would give “new momentum” to relations.
This presidential visit is the strongest display of support for Russia since the war began over a year ago.
Xi is planning to talk informally with Putin on Monday before a formal dinner, and then they will meet for peace negotiations on Tuesday.
All of NATO, along with the United States, will be watching the meeting closely. Russia will no doubt magnify this new powerful ally amid the isolation they have from the West.
Xi has also reportedly reached out to the Ukrainian, although no one is sure of the details. And Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in a phone call last week.
U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters last week the Biden administration believes a ceasefire would work against Ukraine.
“While that sounds perfectly reasonable and it sounds like a good thing, a ceasefire right now would basically ratify Russia’s conquest. Russia would basically be free to use that ceasefire to further entrench its positions in Ukraine, to rebuild their forces, refit them, re-man them, retrain them so that they can then restart attacks at a time of their choosing.”
