China, Russia to discuss European security amid Ukraine stand-off, says Kremlin
- The two nations’ leaders, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, are due to meet next week during the Beijing Winter Olympics
- Their talks will be closely monitored by the US as well as other countries for any clues about the China-Russia relationship
Putin will travel to China to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics on February 4 against the backdrop of a tense confrontation with the West over Ukraine.
The talks will be closely watched in Washington and elsewhere for clues to the direction of the Russia-China relationship, which has grown closer as both countries’ ties with the West have deteriorated.
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“I think this time of course a lot of time will be spent on an exchange of views on international issues, including strategic stability in Europe, security guarantees for Russia, security in Europe and Russia’s dialogue with the United States and Nato, and regional problems,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.