Meeting in Uzbekistan: Putin thanks Xi for “balanced position”

At the first meeting since the beginning of the Ukraine war, Russian President Putin thanked China’s head of state Xi for his support. Xi said they want to work together to bring “stability and positive energy in a chaotic world.”

The presidents of Russia and China demonstratively closed ranks at the first meeting since Russia invaded Ukraine. Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Putin thanked Beijing for the support and the “balanced position of our Chinese friends” in the Ukraine crisis. “We understand your questions and concerns in this regard and are of course ready to present our position on this issue in detail during today’s meeting, although we have discussed it before,” said the Russian president at the start of the meeting, according to Russian news agencies.

China wants to work with Russia to bring “stability and positive energy to a chaotic world,” Xi said. While China supports Russia’s arguments in the Ukraine war, it is also calling on “everyone involved” to cease hostilities.

However, Beijing avoids violations of international sanctions in order not to become the target of punitive measures itself. Nevertheless, trade between the two countries has increased significantly. Chinese products fill sanctions-related market gaps in Russia. China is also buying more energy since the West boycotted Russian supplies.

“Boundless Friendship”

The two presidents last met in Beijing shortly before the start of the war for the opening of the Winter Olympics in early February and vowed their “boundless friendship”.

Xi is banking on the partnership with Putin to jointly face the growing tensions with rival USA. In the conflict over Taiwan, Putin also backed China and condemned the “provocations” by the United States and its allies. The Russian President also reaffirmed the “One China Principle” with which Beijing justifies its claim to power over the democratic island republic, which Beijing regards as only part of the People’s Republic.

The Shanghai Group of eight states, led by China and Russia, want to create an alternative to what they see as a Western-dominated world order. In addition to Russia, China, India and Pakistan, the Shanghai Group, which was initially founded in 2001 with a view to fighting terrorism, now also includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Iran, which has been an observer up to now, will also be admitted to the summit. In addition, the admission of Belarus, which like Mongolia has observer status, is being discussed. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey are classified as partners.

According to its President Ebrahim Raisi, Iran wants to neutralize most of the US sanctions against its country by cooperating with Russia. “The cooperation can be expanded in political, commercial, economic areas as well as in aerospace,” said Raisi, who also met with Putin in Samarkand. After tensions with the West and disputes over its nuclear program, Iran has realigned its foreign policy and is particularly courting China and Russia.

India’s Prime Minister Modi and Xi are also scheduled to meet in Samarkand – for the first time since the deadly confrontations between the two sides on the disputed Himalayan border in 2020.

With his first trip abroad in more than two and a half years, China’s head of state reported back personally on the international stage.