Chinese President Xi to visit Russia for talks with Putin

Beijing, March 17 (PTI) Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Russia and hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin from March 20 to 22, the Foreign Ministry announced on Friday.

“At the invitation of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia from March 20 to 22,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a brief statement.

It was Xi’s first visit after being approved by the National People’s Congress (NPC) earlier this month for an unprecedented third five-year term as president and head of the military.
Speculation is rife that Xi, 69, a close ally of Putin for the past 10 years, will join efforts to launch peace talks between Russia and Ukraine to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

He is also expected to speak on the phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. PTI KJV MRJ