Saadet Gokce
20 May 2026•Update: 20 May 2026
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing on Wednesday, days after US President Donald Trump visited China for a summit with the Chinese leader amid the US-Iran war.
Putin was received with an official welcoming ceremony outside Great Hall of the People, where Xi greeted him, before the two sit for talks.
Likely topics on the agenda for their talks include bilateral relations, trade, the US-Iran war, energy cooperation and the Ukraine conflict.
Putin is accompanied by a delegation including five deputy prime ministers, eight ministers and several business executives.
The two leaders are also expected to sign a joint statement following the talks and other agreements.
Putin will later meet with Chinese Premier Li Qiang to discuss trade and economic cooperation.
The trip coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation between the two countries. The Sino-Russian friendship treaty was signed in 2001 by then-Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Putin.
Putin and Xi will participate in the opening ceremony of the Russia-China Years of Education 2026-2027.
The Russian president will return to his country after the conclusion of the scheduled talks and events.
This marks Putin’s 25th official China visit.
Bilateral trade between Russia and China reached over $240 billion in 2023, more than doubling pre-Ukraine war levels.
China now absorbs roughly 50% of Russia’s crude oil exports, according to 2024-2025 estimates.
