Kremlin reveals content of discussion between Putin and Xi Jinping
Russian and Chinese leaders have discussed the possibility of Russia engaging with the US as Donald Trump's second term begins.
RT news agency quoted information from the Kremlin saying that on January 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the Ukraine conflict, Western sanctions, and the possibility of Russia participating in dialogue with the US in the context of Donald Trump's return to the White House.
The discussion took place during the two leaders' traditional New Year's video call, which lasted more than an hour and a half, according to Putin's foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov. During the call, Ushakov said, the Russian leader reaffirmed his readiness to negotiate with Washington to end the conflict in Ukraine.
“Moscow is ready to build relations on the basis of mutual benefit and mutual respect if the Trump team really shows the same interest in this,” Ushakov said.
The newly inaugurated US president has repeatedly promised to end the fighting between Moscow and Kiev within 24 hours of his return to office.
On January 19, CNN cited private sources as saying that Mr. Trump's team was said to be planning a call with Moscow, which could take place right after the inauguration.
US media have recently reported that Mr Trump's team is considering a peace plan for Ukraine that could include a ceasefire along the current demarcation lines and the creation of a 1,300-km demilitarized zone patrolled by European troops.
Mr Putin on January 20 welcomed Mr Trump's comments about wanting to restore relations with Russia and prevent the proxy conflict over Ukraine from developing into world war.
The Russian presidential aide also said that Moscow had not received any contact from the White House about scheduling a call between the two countries' leaders.
For his part, Mr. Xi Jinping provided Mr. Putin with details of his recent conversation with Mr. Trump, which took place on January 17 and was unrelated to the presidential inauguration.
Moscow and Beijing also discussed the steady growth of economic and trade cooperation between the two countries despite unprecedented Western sanctions.
“The heads of state stressed the need to continue improving transport connections, modernizing border infrastructure, checkpoints, and increasing cargo flows between our countries,” including within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Ushakov said.
Mr Putin and Mr Xi also discussed joint energy projects, including the Far East pipeline, which they said was progressing as planned. Moscow and Beijing signed a deal in February 2023 to supply additional gas from the continental shelf off the island of Sakhalin to China. Supplies via the pipeline are expected to begin in 2027.
Work on other joint initiatives, such as the Power of Siberia 2 mega-pipeline project and the construction of power generation units at two Chinese nuclear power plants, is also underway, Ushakov added.
