China's president arrives in Moscow to meet with Putin Ukraine War and US tariffs on the agenda

Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Moscow for a high-profile state visit underscoring efforts to strengthen ties with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, amid growing trade pressures from the US and scepticism from European allies.

Upon landing at Moscow’s Vnukovo-2 airport on May 7 afternoon local time, Xi expressed confidence that the trip would deepen bilateral cooperation between the two nations, Caliber.Az reports, citing Chinese media.

“I will meet with President Putin to have an in-depth exchange of views over bilateral relations, practical cooperation as well as major international and regional issues of mutual interest,” Xi said in a written statement.

“[This] will inject strong impetus into the growth of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era.”

He also hailed the friendship between China and Russia, calling the two countries “good neighbours that cannot be moved away, true friends who share weal and woe, and good partners that enable each other’s success”.

Hours before Xi touched down, local authorities said several Ukrainian drones were brought down near the capital, and airports across Moscow were forced to temporarily shut down.

This will be Xi’s 11th trip to Russia since taking office in 2013, and his third talk with Putin so far this year.

Xi’s plane was escorted by a Russian Air Force fighter jet after entering Russia’s airspace on Wednesday, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

Xi will have a formal meeting with Putin on May 8. The war in Ukraine, Russia-US relations, along with cooperation under the BRICS grouping of developing economies and the Group of 20 will be high on the agenda, said the Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov.

The pair will also discuss economic and energy issues, including the proposed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, before issuing joint statements and briefing reporters, Ushakov said, according to the Russian news agency TASS.

Xi’s trip to Moscow comes at a time when China is grappling with immense pressure from the US after President Donald Trump imposed some of his toughest tariffs on Chinese products.

Putin, who has faced isolation from the West since his invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago, has moved closer to China, the world’s second economy whose purchases of Russian energy and other raw materials have helped Moscow to keep the economy afloat amid sanctions from the US and Europe.

By Khagan Isayev