Chinese leader Xi Jinping has already arrived in Moscow and on March 21 the main part of the meeting with Vladimir Putin will take place. Xi has already managed to call Russia a strong partner, but Putin has thought of declaring that NATO plans to come after China as well.

The Xi-Putin meeting is being watched closely in Ukraine and the West as there are fears that the two autocrats might unite against the whole world. Channel 24 journalist Aleksey Pechiy summed up the results of the first day of the visit of the head of China to Moscow.

Xi flew to Moscow: the first sign that Beijing does not trust the Kremlin

Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow on March 20 and met with Russian dictator Putin. Xi visited Russia despite the fact that the ICC in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Putin for the actual theft of Ukrainian children.

The Kremlin has already rushed to portray this visit as a meeting of “friends.” In particular, the heads of state had a tête-à-tête conversation, which continued over an informal dinner.

And as they said in the Kremlin on the eve of the meeting, the topics of conversation between Xi and Putin “will be raised at their discretion.” Tomorrow, March 21, is the main day of the visit of the head of China to Russia . There will be an official meeting ceremony, narrow and extended talks, signing of documents and a statement to the media.

An interesting point to note is that it turned out that Xi Jinping was staying at the five-star Park Huaming Hotel in the outskirts of Moscow. Although Xi was offered to stay in the Kremlin in a number of the largest hotels.

But the representatives of Beijing categorically refused , allegedly Xi wants to hold meetings with his advisers in a safe place. So it turned out that it is the Chinese special services that completely control the territory of the region and do not allow Russian special services to go there .

Are China and Russia really getting closer?

White House National Security Council coordinator John Kirby frankly stated that the United States would closely monitor the results of meetings between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian dictator Putin. Washington believes that both countries seek to undermine the international order.

Both countries are undermining the rules-based international order that the United States and many of our allies and partners have built since the end of World War II. They would like to rewrite the rules of the game in the world. Currently, Beijing and Moscow are strengthening their cooperation and relationship, Kirby said.

But is the rapprochement between China and Moscow really that powerful? On the eve of his visit to Moscow, Chinese leader Xi Jinping published a message to the Russians, which, unfortunately, is full of theses that point to the rapprochement of countries .

In particular, the beginning of the Chinese leader's article begins with laudatory statements that his visit to Russia is aimed at strengthening friendship, cooperation and peace.

Xi calls Russia and China strategic partners of comprehensive cooperation, leading world states and permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Both countries pursue independent and independent foreign policies, Xi said. Traditionally for Chinese diplomacy, Xi Jinping carefully hints that Beijing and Moscow are really ready to unite to build a new multipolar world order , but adds that Russia’s friendship with China should not be directed against a third party , and both countries must comply with the norms of the UN Charter and others international treaties.

“The parties are continuously strengthening political mutual trust, creating a new paradigm of relations between great states. Bilateral relations are based on the principles of non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-direction against third parties. The parties closely cooperate in the international arena and bear great responsibility as great states.”

China and Russia firmly uphold a monocentric international system and a world order based on international law, as well as the basic norms and principles of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. The parties are taking effective steps to embody true multipolarity, develop universal human values and stand for the formation of a new type of international relations and a community with a common destiny for mankind,” the leader of the People's Republic of China said.

That is , Xi allegedly hints that he is ready to fight US hegemony , but at the same time adds that he is not ready to unite with Russia against third parties.

Although further Xi Jinping assures that the world has become too interconnected. Allegedly, more and more countries are uniting to build a safer world around. Therefore, according to Xi, there is no universal model of government and no world order where the decisive word belongs to an individual country.

Of course, this is a hint that the United States allegedly took on the role of the country that has the final say and China does not like it. But such a formulation is also perfectly suited to characterize Russia's actions towards Ukraine.

An attempt to divide the world: how the US reacts to Xi's visit

The American media today is just full of headlines that Xi's visit to Moscow is an attempt to divide the world into two camps and plunge the planet into uncertainty for many years. Although they immediately add that the plans of Putin and Xi are very different.

This is how The Washington Post writes about the meetings between Putin and Xi:

“The attitude of authoritarian leaders could see the world divided into opposing camps within decades, hindering cooperation on climate change, stifling global action against human rights violations, paralyzing international institutions and heightening tensions in contentious regions.

But while Putin is looking for allies who could send weapons, increase trade, or at least support him in global forums, for Xi Jinping, it looks like this visit is more about positioning Beijing around the world.

Xi remembered the war in Ukraine: what the leader of China said

Of course, in his speech, Xi also mentioned the war in Ukraine, which he stubbornly calls the “Ukrainian crisis.” He reiterated that China has always taken an objective and impartial stand and made active efforts to promote reconciliation and peace talks.

Xi assures that it is his peace plan that will bring peace . Allegedly, you just need to comply with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, in particular respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states. And then Xi begins to frankly sing along with the Kremlin , or rather, to show how he sees the future world order.

We are talking about the need to respect the legitimate security concerns of all states, support all efforts aimed at a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian crisis and ensure the stability of global production and supply chains.

The recently published “China's Position on the Political Settlement of the 'Ukrainian Crisis', Taking into Account the Rational Worries of All Parties, Reflects the Unity of the World Community's Views on Overcoming the 'Ukrainian Crisis' to the Best Possible Way.”

We are convinced that a rational way out of the “Ukrainian crisis” and a path to strong peace and common security in the world will be found if everyone continues dialogue and consultations in an equal, sane and pragmatic manner,” Xi said.

NATO wants to “take away” China: Putin betrayed his horror

At the same time, dictator Putin also published his speech to the Chinese. He did not spare any laudatory remarks about Sino-Russian relations.

According to him, they allegedly “act as a cornerstone of regional and global stability, stimulate economic growth, serve as a guarantor of a positive agenda in international affairs.”

And then he cynically remembered “respect for the UN Charter.” And, of course, blamed the West for everything. But there was also an interesting moment in his speech – he suddenly announced that NATO would come after China sooner or later .

Allegedly, NATO simply wants to destroy Russia and then take on China. What is also interesting is that in his article the dictator also mentioned his readiness for negotiations to end the war in Ukraine , but he immediately recalls that supposedly not on the basis of ultimatums, which Moscow itself constantly puts forward.

Although here Putin probably had in mind an ultimatum related to the requirement to withdraw all Russian troops from Ukraine, which is fair. But that is precisely why Putin visited Crimea and Mariupol the day before to demonstrate to Xi that this is allegedly already Russian territory , so it needs to be taken out of the frame.

Putin also added that the West allegedly commits “irresponsible and simply dangerous actions that can undermine global nuclear security.” That is, Putin, who threatens the world with nuclear weapons, says that the West behaves incorrectly with the same nuclear weapon.

Therefore, the Western world is closely following this meeting of the two autocrats.

Xi's visit to Moscow: how Ukraine and the world react

But there are no illusions about Xi's peace plan. In particular, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov said that China's “peace plan” cannot be implemented without the main point – capitulation and withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine.

Visit of Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Russia. The formula for the successful implementation of China's “peace plan”. The first and main point is the surrender or withdrawal of the Russian occupation troops from the territory of Ukraine in accordance with the norms of international law, the UN Charter. In order to restore sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity,” Danilov said.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry added rather restrainedly that Kyiv expects Chinese leader Xi Jinping to use his influence on Russia in order to push it to end the war.

At the same time, the British government approached the issue of Xi's visit to Moscow more pragmatically. They said they did not expect a breakthrough in ending the war, but the head of China should use his visit to urge Putin to at least stop bombing Ukrainian cities, hospitals and schools. Like, at least such a step can add credibility to the Chinese peace plan .

At present, the question is how ready China is to take into account the opinion and demands of the Ukrainian side when promoting its peace plan. In particular, it is known that after meeting with Putin, Xi may talk to Vladimir Zelensky. And already Zelensky will accurately voice Xi our vision of the end of the war, which is important in the context of the fact that China is striving to become almost the main negotiator in the world.