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With his army making advances in Ukraine and his political grip tightened at home after securing an unprecedented fifth term as president, Vladimir V. Putin of Russia arrived in Beijing on Thursday in search of another win: more support from his \u201cdear friend,\u201d Xi Jinping.<\/p>\n
Mr. Putin, whose economy remains largely isolated because of Western sanctions over his invasion of Ukraine, relies on Mr. Xi, China\u2019s leader, for diplomatic cover and a financial lifeline, including huge purchases of Russian oil. But Mr. Putin will need more help to sustain his war machine, especially now as his military makes a push near Kharkiv, Ukraine\u2019s second-largest city, before billions of dollars\u2019 worth of arms arrives from the United States to shore up Ukraine\u2019s depleted forces.<\/p>\n
In Beijing, Mr. Putin sought to show that Moscow was deepening its ties with Beijing as a bulwark against Western attempts to contain their countries. \u201cWe are working in solidarity on the formulation of a more just and democratic multipolar world order,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He trumpeted China\u2019s role as Russia\u2019s number one trade partner, highlighted the use of the Russian ruble and the Chinese renminbi currency in the countries\u2019 transactions, and said the sides would strengthen contacts between credit institutions and banks. He also said the leaders discussed working more closely in energy and nuclear power research, though made no mention of a proposed natural gas pipeline to China that Moscow would like to see built.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Mr. Xi is committed to his partnership with Mr. Putin, regarding Russia as a critical counterweight to their common rival, the United States. The two leaders share a vision of an alternative world order where autocratic countries like China and Russia can operate free of interference from Washington and its allies.<\/p>\n
The pomp and pageantry that greeted Mr. Putin in Beijing made clear the importance of that relationship and their \u201cno limits\u201d strategic alignment. Mr. Xi welcomed Mr. Putin at the Great Hall of the People with a tightly choreographed ceremony featuring a 21-gun salute, a marching band, an honor guard and children jumping and waving in sync.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Mr. Xi hailed ties between their two countries as \u201ca model for a new type of international relations and relations between neighboring major powers.\u201d Key to the relationship, he said, was that the countries \u201calways firmly support each other on issues involving each other\u2019s core interests and major concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n
But the Chinese leader is under growing diplomatic and economic pressure from the West to curtail any support that aids Mr. Putin\u2019s war on Ukraine. Failure to do so risks further alienating Europe, a key trading partner needed to help revive China\u2019s beleaguered economy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The United States has also accused Beijing of aiding the Kremlin\u2019s war efforts by providing satellite intelligence, fighter jet parts, microchips and other dual-use equipment. While visiting Beijing last month, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken also warned of sanctions against Chinese banks that assisted Russia\u2019s war effort. Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen warned of \u201csignificant consequences\u201d<\/a> if Chinese companies provided material support for Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine.<\/p>\n In a statement he read to reporters in Beijing following the talks, Mr. Xi said that he and Mr. Putin discussed the war in Ukraine \u2014 which he referred to as a \u201ccrisis,\u201d and repeated China\u2019s position, including that the \u201creasonable security concerns of all parties,\u201d meaning Mr. Putin\u2019s opposition to NATO, should be respected. He said nothing about the warnings from the West.<\/p>\n For Mr. Putin, bolstering China\u2019s support for him in the face of Western pressure is likely a top priority on this visit.<\/p>\n During his meeting with Mr. Xi, he called for greater economic cooperation, saying the two countries should prioritize energy, industry and agriculture, as well as advanced technologies, infrastructure construction and transportation. He lauded the two countries\u2019 use of rubles and renminbi to settle trade to circumvent U.S. restrictions on using dollars.<\/p>\n \u201cDespite some actions aimed at restraining our development \u2014 some actions on the part of third countries \u2014 trade turnover between Russia and China is increasing at a good pace,\u201d Mr. Putin said, according to Russian state media.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cOur cooperation in world affairs today serves as one of the main stabilizing factors in the international arena,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The two leaders, who have met over 40 times, including virtually, depicted their relationship as close. In a statement he read to reporters, Mr. Putin sought to show that he was both not isolated and fully in charge. He said that he and Mr. Xi were in frequent contact, enabling the leaders to \u201cdiscuss any, even the most difficult problems, and keep all pressing issues on the Russian-Chinese and international agenda under personal control.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr. Putin traveled with a sizable delegation that reflected the deepening economic and military cooperation he hoped to cement with Mr. Xi. Included were Andrei R. Belousov, an economist who was named the new defense minister<\/a> this week; Maksim Reshetnikov, the economy minister; and Sergey V. Lavrov, the foreign minister.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Mr. Belousov has experience working with China, having previously co-chaired the Intergovernmental Russian-Chinese Commission on Investment Cooperation, a group formed in 2014 to promote more trade between the two countries.<\/p>\n Others accompanying Mr. Putin included the heads of Rosatom, Russia\u2019s nuclear power company, and Roscosmos, Russia\u2019s space agency, as well as five deputy prime ministers. Among them was Alexander Novak, an official overseeing oil and gas, including the development of the Power of Siberia 2 natural gas pipeline. Mr. Putin has tried to strike a deal with Mr. Xi on the project, which would redirect Russian gas supplies that had gone to Europe toward China instead. The two leaders made no mention of the pipeline on Thursday, at least publicly.<\/p>\n Olivia Wang contributed research.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n