Russian president Vladimir Putin and president of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping ended negotiations with tea ceremony in Beijing’s Zhongnanhai park on Thursday (May 16).

Putin arrived early on Thursday for a two-day state visit that will include detailed talks on Ukraine, Asia, energy and trade with Xi, his most powerful political backer and fellow geopolitical rival of the United States.

Xi said at a joint news conference that both countries agreed that a political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis would be the right direction. The two leaders also oversaw the signing of several bilateral agreements in sectors such as trade and infrastructure.

China and Russia declared a “no limits” partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing just days before the beginning of conflict in Ukraine.

(Reuters)