Putin touched down early Thursday morning local time and is expected to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during his two-day visit. The heads of state are likely to discuss pressing international issues and celebrate diplomatic relations between China and Russia.
Putin’s state visit, the first in his new term, comes as Russian forces launched a major offensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region, forcing the evacuation of thousands of civilians and putting more pressure on an ammunition-starved Ukrainian force.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Kyiv this week and stressed the U.S. would keep standing by Ukraine amid the attack, announcing that the U.S. was sending the country another $2 billion for weapons and equipment.
In a press conference Wednesday, Blinken also called out China for supplying Russia with nonlethal aid, saying when he visited Beijing he saw that the “overwhelming majority” of machine tools and microelectronic chips for Russia come from Chinese sources.
“These are going directly to strengthening that defense industrial base that, over the last year, has been able as a result to churn out more tanks, more armored vehicles, more missiles — all used in the aggression against Ukraine,” he said.
“What we are deeply concerned about is the support that China’s providing to Russia to rebuild its defense industrial base in ways that are materially contributing to and making a difference in its aggression against Ukraine,” Blinken added.
Blinken also said the U.S. is prepared to unveil more sanctions against any entities found to be responsible for supporting the Russian war effort. He argued that China cannot seek closer relations with Europe “while on the other hand remain responsible for fueling the biggest threat to Europe’s security since the end of the Cold War.”
Read the full report at TheHill.com.
