Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Tuesday, September 2nd, that their countries’ ties were at an “unprecedented level,” during talks in Beijing ahead of a massive military parade.
Wednesday’s Chinese military showcase, commemorating 80 years since the end of World War II, will be an opportunity for world leaders to hold rare face-to-face meetings, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un set to meet Putin and Xi, South Korean sources say. Kim is expected to meet other world leaders as well during a gala performance.
Xi himself has embarked on a flurry of diplomatic meetings this week, including attendance at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in the northern city of Tianjin.
Meeting Xi on Tuesday, Putin told him “our close communication reflects the strategic nature of Russian-Chinese ties, which are currently at an unprecedented level,” according to a pooled live feed.
Referencing the countries’ wartime cooperation, Putin remarked, “we were always together then, and we remain together now.”
Putin is also expected to meet Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, who has drawn criticism from European leaders for opposing efforts to reduce energy imports from Russia. Slovakia is highly reliant on Russian gas.
