China’s Xi and Russia’s Putin hold talks by video

Xi and Putin (AP File Photo)

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks via video today (Wednesday), Chinese state media said. There were no immediate details on their conversation.

The virtual meeting came in the middle of a series of meetings between Xi and Western leaders who have sought to boost ties with China despite differences over Russia’s war in Ukraine. The British and Canadian prime ministers visited Beijing last month and the German chancellor is expected to later this month.

The call with Putin may have been in part to reassure Russia that China’s position on the war hasn’t changed. European leaders have pressed China for years to end its support for Russia. China has continued to trade with Russia, providing some relief from Western economic sanctions.

Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu traveled to Beijing last weekend and met China’s top foreign policy official, Wang Yi. The two officials agreed their countries should maintain close ties in a turbulent world, state media reports said.