March 13 – Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to travel to Russia to meet with his counterpart Vladimir Putin as early as next week, people familiar with the matter said, earlier than originally expected.
The plans for the visit come as China offers to broker peace in Ukraine, an effort that has been met with skepticism in the West given China’s diplomatic support for Russia.
Russian news agency Tass reported on January 30 that Putin invited Xi Jinping for a spring visit. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that the visit to Moscow could take place in April or early May.
China’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the possibility of Xi Jinping going to Moscow, and the Kremlin declined to comment.
No further details were immediately available.
Sources briefed on the matter declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.
China and Russia struck a “no-holds-barred” partnership in February 2022, weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine, and both sides continue to affirm the strength of their ties.