Washington or Moscow: China’s Xi Jinping hosts Putin days after Trump visit

Published connected 19/05/2026 - 9:23 GMT+2•Updated 9:27

Russia has precocious expectations for President Vladimir Putin’s travel to China this week, with the Kremlin saying some sides volition usage the sojourn to further make their “privileged partnership”. Putin is owed to statesman his authoritative sojourn to Beijing soon aft US President Donald Trump met his Chinese counterpart.

While Moscow has officially said the sojourn volition absorption connected strengthening Russia and China’s “strategic partnership”, the timing points to a broader geopolitical docket — and to China’s increasing diplomatic leverage.

Trump visited Beijing little than a week ago, but contempt precocious expectations, the travel was wide seen arsenic underwhelming. There was nary important advancement connected trade, Ukraine oregon the struggle with Iran.

Those aforesaid issues are expected to diagnostic prominently successful Putin’s talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Russia-China agenda

Putin’s aide, Yuri Ushakov, firmly denied connected Monday that determination was immoderate transportation betwixt the Russian leader’s sojourn and Trump’s caller trip.

“It should beryllium noted that determination is nary nexus betwixt Trump’s and Putin’s visits. We usually hold the docket for talks with the Chinese successful advance,” helium said.

Ushakov added that the day of Putin’s sojourn had been agreed successful aboriginal February, portion Trump had primitively planned to sojourn Beijing betwixt precocious March and aboriginal April.

“Then, for evident reasons related to the Iranian situation, it was moved guardant to 13–15 May, meaning it took spot conscionable earlier our travel to Beijing,” helium said.

Ushakov besides confirmed that Putin volition get successful Beijing connected Tuesday evening and conscionable Xi Jinping connected 20 May.

While Trump travelled to China with much than a twelve US concern leaders, Putin’s delegation volition see concern representatives, 5 lawman premier ministers, 8 ministers, respective determination governors and the caput of Russia’s cardinal slope — a motion of Moscow’s expanding economical dependence connected China.

Notably, Kirill Dmitriev volition besides question to Beijing. Officially the caput of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Dmitriev has besides go the Kremlin’s cardinal negotiator with the US medication successful diplomatic efforts aimed astatine ending Russia’s full-scale penetration of Ukraine.

Beijing’s ‘bargaining chips’

Putin is expected to absorption heavy connected securing continued Chinese enactment for Moscow, arsenic China has efficaciously go Russia’s astir important planetary spouse since the commencement of the warfare successful Ukraine.

China’s deepening ties with Russia person go an expanding interest successful Western capitals, including Brussels.

Western diplomats and analysts judge Beijing’s economical and diplomatic backing has helped prolong Russia’s warfare effort successful Ukraine.

However, Xi Jinping’s superior absorption is apt to stay Taiwan alternatively than Ukraine. In that context, the timing of some Trump’s and Putin’s visits whitethorn bespeak a wider geopolitical bargaining strategy.

Following his travel to China, Trump appeared to formed uncertainty connected continued US enactment for Taiwan.

Although the US president approved a grounds $11 cardinal (€9.5 billion) arms bundle for Taiwan successful December — including missiles, drones, artillery systems and subject bundle — helium said helium had yet to springiness last support for the deal, adding that it “depends connected China”.

“It’s a precise bully negotiating spot for us, frankly,” Trump said.

Any suspension of US arms income to Taiwan would correspond a large diplomatic triumph for Beijing and whitethorn beryllium viewed by China arsenic a higher precedence than enactment for Russia’s warfare successful Ukraine, present successful its 5th twelvemonth with nary wide extremity successful sight.