Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Russia next week to meet Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin will receive his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, on Monday March 20, before more formal discussions the next day, the Kremlin announced on Friday March 17. “It will be a one-on-one conversation, there will be an informal lunch. And from the [mardi] March 21, a day of negotiations will be held”said Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov when asked about the program for the meeting between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, who will be in Russia for three days.

>> Follow the latest information on the war in Ukraine in our live

This will be the first official visit of the chinese president in the country since the invasion of Ukraine. Beijing, which has strengthened its ties with Moscow in recent years in common opposition to the West, presents itself as a neutral party in the conflict in Ukraine. It will be a “travel for friendship and peace”, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement.

The two leaders “will discuss deepening comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation between Russia and China” notably “on the international scene”added in a press release the Russian presidency, specifying that “important bilateral documents will be signed”.