Vladimir Putin’s trip to Beijing this week, where he will meet with Xi Jinping and top Chinese officials, is another clear demonstration of the current closeness between Russia and China.
Yet many in the West still want to believe that their alliance is an aberration, driven by Mr. Putin’s emotional anti-Americanism and his toxic fixation on Ukraine.
Never since the fall of the Soviet Union has Russia been so distant from Europe, and never in its entire history has it been so entwined with China.
The truth is that after two years of war in Ukraine and painful Western sanctions, it’s not just Mr. Putin who needs China — Russia does, too.
China has emerged as Russia’s single most important partner, providing a lifeline not only for Mr. Putin’s war machine but also for the entire embattled economy.
Persons:
Vladimir Putin’s, Xi Jinping, Putin, —, it’s
Organizations:
Soviet
Locations:
Beijing, Russia, China, Ukraine, Moscow, Europe, Soviet Union