The summit, held during Putin’s first foreign visit of the year, took place against the backdrop of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and intensifying great-power competition. Both leaders used unusually strong language to describe the partnership, with Putin calling Xi a “dear friend” and Xi describing ties as “unshakable.”
Despite the warm rhetoric, analysts note a clear asymmetry in the relationship: Russia increasingly depends on China for economic and diplomatic support, while Beijing maintains a more measured and strategically controlled approach, reflecting its stronger global economic position.
During the meeting, Xi highlighted the volatile international environment, describing the Middle East situation as a “critical turning point” and warning against renewed escalation. He reiterated that the region appears to be shifting “from war to peace,” but cautioned that any relapse into conflict would be unacceptable.
Xi also urged cooperation toward building a “fairer and more equal system of global governance,” a formulation widely interpreted as a challenge to Western-led international institutions.
He promoted China’s “four-point proposal” on Middle East stability, which emphasizes peaceful coexistence, respect for sovereignty, adherence to international law, and the integration of development with security as pathways to de-escalation.
Putin, meanwhile, highlighted the expansion of Russia–China trade, claiming it has increased more than thirtyfold over the past 25 years. Bilateral trade has surged in recent years, particularly after Western sanctions pushed Moscow closer to Beijing following the Ukraine war.
After their initial closed-door discussions, the two sides moved into broader delegation-level talks described by the Kremlin as a “wide-format” summit. Separately, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, further reinforcing diplomatic coordination between the two countries.
