Putin to visit ‘dear friend’ Xi Jinping days after Trump’s high-stakes trip to Beijing
Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a two-day trip to Beijing on May 19-20, shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump concluded his own visit to China. The Kremlin stated the visit marks the 25th anniversary of the Sino-Russian Treaty of Friendship and will focus on bilateral relations, economic cooperation, and international issues. China and Russia have strengthened ties in recent years, especially following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and subsequent Western sanctions.
- ▪Putin’s visit is scheduled for May 19-20, 2026, and coincides with the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Sino-Russian Treaty of Friendship.
- ▪The trip follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit to Beijing, where he met with Xi Jinping to discuss trade and the U.S. and Israel’s war in Iran.
- ▪China and Russia have deepened their relationship since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with Moscow increasingly reliant on Beijing due to Western sanctions.
- ▪Putin is also expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, in November 2026.
- ▪During the same weekend as the announcement, Russia and Ukraine conducted a large-scale prisoner and body exchange, while both sides reported drone attacks and casualties.
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World News Putin to visit ‘dear friend’ Xi Jinping days after Trump’s high-stakes trip to Beijing By Associated Press Published May 16, 2026, 3:57 p.m. ET Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on a two-day trip to Beijing next week, the Kremlin said Saturday. The announcement comes less than 24 hours after US President Donald Trump finished his own state visit to China, where he also met Xi to discuss trade and the US and Israel’s war in Iran. In a statement, the Kremlin said that Putin’s trip, planned for May 19-20, had been scheduled to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Sino-Russian Treaty of Friendship.
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