Putin and Xi Discuss Strengthening Ties Shortly After Trump’s Inauguration

Moscow/Panjab Post
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a video meeting on Tuesday, focusing on enhancing their strategic partnership just hours after Donald Trump took office as the 47th President of the United States. Addressing Xi as his “dear friend,” Putin emphasized the importance of their relationship, proposing plans to deepen the Russian-Chinese comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation. “We share a broad alignment of national interests and a common vision of how major powers should interact,” Putin told Xi during the call. “Our relationship is built on friendship, mutual trust, equality, and shared benefits, independent of global circumstances or domestic politics.” The Kremlin released a video of the discussion, highlighting the camaraderie between the two leaders.
Both nations, facing external pressures—Russia due to its war against NATO-backed Ukraine and China amidst US efforts to counter its growing influence—have found increasing common ground. Putin and Xi have frequently criticized Western dominance, framing it as a relic of a fading era, while portraying their nations as pillars of a multipolar world. The United States views China as its primary competitor and Russia as its leading state-based threat. Former President Joe Biden previously framed the global divide as a contest between democracies and autocracies, naming China and Russia as key challengers. Putin and Xi’s collaboration reflects their shared determination to push back against historical grievances, including the aftermath of the Soviet Union’s collapse and the impact of European colonialism on China, while positioning themselves as alternatives to Western influence in global affairs.