Putin and Xi Vow to Step Up Fight to Counter US ‘Containment’
- Visit is Putin’s first foreign trip since starting fifth term
- China has been key ally as Moscow pursues war in Ukraine
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin pledged to intensify cooperation against US “containment” of their countries, as they warned of growing nuclear tensions between rival powers.
Putin and Xi accused the US of planning to station missile systems around the world that “pose a direct threat to the security of Russia and China,” in a joint declaration after more than two hours of talks in Beijing on Thursday. They agreed to tighten coordination, including between their militaries, against what they called Washington’s “destructive and hostile course.”