Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Russia next week, officials from both countries said on Friday, weighing into the Ukraine conflict just as relations between Moscow and Washington hit a new low.
Xi`s visit to Moscow is a diplomatic coup for Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country has been placed under unprecedented international sanctions since he sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.
Beijing and Moscow struck a "no limits" partnership shortly before the invasion and U.S. and European leaders have said they are concerned Beijing may send arms to Russia.
China has denied any such plan, criticising Western weapon supplies to Ukraine, which will soon extend to fighter jets after Poland and Slovakia this week approved deliveries. The Kremlin said the jets would simply be destroyed.
A Russian official said Xi and Putin would discuss the conflict in Ukraine as well as "military-technical cooperation". The Kremlin said earlier that "important" bilateral documents would be signed, without elaborating.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Xi`s visit to Russia - his first in nearly four years - would strengthen economic partnerships and promote "peace", although he made no explicit mention of the Ukraine war.
China is Russia`s most important ally and has been buying Russian oil and other goods shunned by Western countries. It is also a big buyer of Ukrainian grain.
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