Russian President Vladimir Putin has wrapped up his four-day visit to China, during which he attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit and met with global leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un.
The Russian president also attended China’s commemoration of the 80th anniversary of imperial Japan’s defeat in World War II. Putin’s discussions centered on energy, trade, regional issues, and strengthening bilateral ties. In total, Putin held full-fledged meetings with 17 world leaders, having worked a total of 48 hours, according to TASS estimates.
During the visit, which came amid tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine, Moscow and Beijing signed more than 20 agreements on wide-ranging cooperation, including a major deal to build the Power of Siberia 2 natural gas pipeline.
At the end of his visit, Putin held a wide-ranging press conference during which he proclaimed that the unipolar world order, which he called “obsolete,” is unfair and should yield its place to a multipolar one where all nations would enjoy equal rights.
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03 September 2025
The unipolar world is unfair, Putin has asserted. “The unipolar world must cease to exist, which would also be in the interest of those nations whose leadership is still defending this obsolete system.”
There are no preparations underway for a Putin-Trump summit in Moscow, the Russian president has said, adding that his invitation to the US leader “is still on the table.”
The vast majority of Russian frontline servicemembers want Moscow to accomplish all the goals that were set out when the special military operation began, Putin has said. “All the rest is secondary. The best way to do so is by peaceful means. We will see how it will continue to unfold”.
Not a single global leader who came to China voiced a negative opinion about the US administration, Putin has said. “All of the people I spoke with supported the meeting we had in Anchorage. They all expressed hope that the positions held by Trump and Russia will lead to a resolution of the Ukraine conflict.”
The Russian leader also stressed that the activities of the SCO members “are not aimed against anyone but rather at finding better ways of developing our own countries.”
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is accurately relaying Russia’s stance on the Ukraine conflict to his boss, Putin has said, adding that the same goes for him communicating Washington’s position to Moscow.
The Russian leader suggested that some criticism aimed at Witkoff by Western media stems from a dislike of the US stance on the conflict rather than genuine concern regarding potential miscommunication.
“There could be different approaches to the settlement. There are those seeking to fight until the last Ukrainian. And there are those seeking a solution by peaceful means. The party of war always attacks the party of peace. The rest is just speculation.”
Russia is ready to raise the level of the delegation engaged in talks with Ukraine, Putin has said, while declining to name top-level officials that could join the team. “It is the result that is important,” he stressed.
Ukraine’s military capabilities are now at a critically low level, Putin has said, adding that Kiev has no spare forces to mount a large-scale operation and only has the capacity to patch up its crumbling defenses.
“There’s light at the end of the tunnel,” Putin said, replying to the question of whether the Ukraine conflict could be over soon. In this regard, he underscored active US efforts to find a solution to the crisis.
However, if no diplomatic solution is found, “we will have to reach all the goals through arms,” Putin added.
Putin responded to comments by Friedrich Merz, who earlier labeled him a “war criminal,” by suggesting the German Chancellor was unsuccessfully trying to “relieve the collective West from the responsibility for the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine.”
The multipolar world order is already taking shape, Putin has said, adding that this does not mean that the globe will be dominated by several hegemons. “All those taking part in international diplomacy should have equal rights,” he stated.
Putin acknowledged that there are economic giants such as India and China, but that does not mean that any country should dominate all others in a particular sphere.
Putin has confirmed that US President Donald Trump asked him to meet Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky. The Russian leader did not rule out the possibility, adding:
“If Zelensky is ready, let him come to Moscow, and this meeting will proceed.”
At the same time, Putin noted that Zelensky’s presidential term expired long ago.
Russia has not discussed an arrangement that would see Ukraine cede territory in exchange for security guarantees, Putin has said. “We are generally fighting not for territory... but for people’s rights to speak their own language and keep their culture.”
Commenting on the Russia-China agreement on the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, Putin noted that the sides have reached a consensus on the matter. “This is not charity - we’re talking about mutually beneficial agreements based on market principles,” he said.
According to Putin, the project was made possible by rising energy demand in China and Russia’s ability to meet it.
He stressed that China will be buying Russian energy at market rates, unlike the EU, which has to pay increased costs due to its push to wean itself off Russian oil and gas.
Discussing the Ukraine conflict, Putin stressed that Kiev’s security cannot be guaranteed at the expense of Russia. In practical terms, this means that Moscow objects to Ukraine joining NATO but not the EU, he added.
Russia and its partners have held a number of formal and informal meetings in China focused on their common interests, Putin has told reporters.
He added that “the documents adopted by all participants look very promising,” putting a particular emphasis on China’s global governance initiative.
The final preparations for Putin’s press conference in Beijing are underway, according to the Kremlin.
Putin and Xi have been caught on a hot mic discussing scientific advances that could allow human life to be prolonged, according to media reports and footage on social media.
“In the past, people rarely lived to 70. Now at 70 you are still a child,” Xi, 72, was heard saying, apparently addressing the Russian leader, who is the same age.
According to the footage, Putin replied: “With the help of biotechnology, organs can be replaced endlessly… people will even be able to achieve immortality.”
Xi added: “Some predict that in this century people will be able to live to 150 years.”
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un also appeared to take part in the exchange, although it was not clear from the footage what exactly he said.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing, highlighting the strong momentum in Hungarian–Chinese relations.
Vietnamese President Luong Cuong has expressed strong support for Russia’s global role during his talks with President Vladimir Putin in China. Speaking at the meeting, Cuong praised Russia’s leadership and emphasized its importance in maintaining international stability. “Under your leadership Russia will be great and Russia will become a pillar to protect the world to ensure peace, to defend justice and stability,” he told Putin.
Cuong went on to reaffirm Vietnam’s confidence in Russia’s future and extended his best wishes to the Russian leader. “We believe in it and we wish you every success,” he said.
During a bilateral meeting with Vietnamese President Luong Cuong in China, Vladimir Putin highlighted the long-standing partnership between the two nations, noting that 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.
“Over the years, Vietnam and our country, Russia, have developed special relations of alliance and fraternal mutual assistance. It’s even difficult for me to list all the areas of our interaction. It has been intensifying in recent years,” Putin said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is holding talks with his Vietnamese counterpart, Luong Cuong, in China.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has dismissed suggestions that world powers were plotting against the United States, after US President Donald Trump claimed Russia, China, and North Korea were "conspiring" against Washington. Peskov said he hoped Trump’s comments were figurative, stressing, “Nobody is hatching such plots.” Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov echoed the sentiment, saying he hoped the remarks were made in jest.
Trump made the accusation on his Truth Social platform earlier on Wednesday while commenting on a military parade in Beijing commemorating Japan’s defeat in World War II.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb warned that the unity of the West is under pressure, pointing to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in China as a reminder of shifting global dynamics. “There’s an attempt to undermine the unity of the global West,” he said, urging a change in approach.
“My message, not only to my European colleagues, but especially to the United States, is that if we don’t drive a more cooperative or dignified foreign policy with especially the Global South, the likes of India, we’re going to lose this game,” Stubb added. “This meeting in China on Sunday and Monday is a good reminder to all of us in the global West what is at stake. We’re trying to preserve the remnants of the old order, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Republic of the Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso, who hailed the “excellent” level of relations between the two countries, brought a symbolic gift for President Vladimir Putin — a painting.
Vladimir Putin underscored Russia’s commitment to strengthening ties with the Republic of the Congo during his meeting with Denis Sassou Nguesso. Putin highlighted Moscow’s role in education, saying, “Russia continues to provide education for your students, for Congolese nationals, and we are ready to increase the number of the scholarships for the Congolese students.”
He also emphasized diplomatic coordination, noting, “Our foreign ministries maintain contact, we coordinate our efforts at all the multilateral platforms.”
Republic of the Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso has praised relations with Russia during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin in China.
“I was happy to receive an invitation from President Xi Jinping to take part in this great parade, this commemoration, and when I knew that you would come here I thought that we would have a chance to meet on the sidelines of the celebration and to have a conversation,” Sassou Nguesso said.
Highlighting the close ties between the two countries, he added: “I would like to note that the level of relations between our two countries is excellent. We are moving ahead in our cooperation. We have many things to discuss about what’s happening in the world and ways to overcome the challenges. I’m very grateful to you for finding the time for this meeting.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Republic of the Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso on the sidelines of Beijing’s Victory Day celebrations, which featured a major military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. This was their second meeting of the year, following Nguesso’s visit to Moscow during Russia’s own Victory Day commemorations earlier in 2025.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has warned that the world is drifting back toward bloc confrontation, a trend he says runs counter to Hungary’s national interests.
“We benefit from East–West cooperation, which turned Hungary into an economic hub. We stand for global cooperation built on mutual respect,” he wrote in an X post on Wednesday.
The minister accompanied his message with photographs from the commemoration of China’s Victory Day parade.
Kim Jong-un bid farewell to Vladimir Putin, expressing hopes for another meeting soon and wishing the Russian president good health and success.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to visit Russia.
The talks between Putin and Kim in Beijing have ended after more than an hour and a half. After the formal meeting wrapped up, the two leaders continued their conversation one-on-one.
Putin and Kim spoke with smiles and without interpreters, switching to English, according to RT correspondent Igor Zhdanov.
Kim Jong-un has emphasized that ties between the two countries are developing across all areas, underlining their strategic cooperation. The North Korean leader also expressed gratitude to Putin for acknowledging the contribution of the country's soldiers in the liberation of Russia’s Kursk region.
During the talks, Kim Jong-un stressed that supporting Russia is a “fraternal duty” of the North Korea.
Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized the “special character” of relations between Russia and North Korea during his meeting with Kim Jong-un. Putin said he was pleased to have the opportunity for a separate discussion with the North Korean leader, highlighting the importance of cooperation between the two countries.
Putin praised the DPRK military’s role in liberating Kursk region, emphasizing that the operation was carried out at Kim Jong-un’s initiative and in full accordance with agreements between Moscow and Pyongyang. Ukrainian forces had partially seized the area last August.
He stressed that Russia would never forget North Korea’s participation in the fight against “modern neo-Nazism,” commending the bravery and heroism of Korean soldiers who fought in the region.
The talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have officially started in Beijing. The leaders are holding a one-on-one meeting without delegations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are set to arrive for upcoming talks, traveling together in the same car.
The parade in Beijing concluded with a grand spectacle as 80,000 doves and balloons were released, symbolically marking the official end of the event.
President Donald Trump has brushed aside worries about a potential alliance forming between China and Russia that could challenge the United States in an interview on The Scott Jennings Radio Show.
When asked directly if such an “axis” concerned him, Trump responded that he was not worried, pointing to America’s military strength as an insurmountable deterrent.
“We have the strongest military in the world, by far,” Trump said, insisting that neither China nor Russia would dare act militarily against the US. “They would never use their military on us. Believe me,” he added.
President Donald Trump has accused China, Russia and North Korea of conspiring against the United States. He made the remarks on his Truth Social platform during a military parade in Beijing on Wednesday marking the victory over Japan in World War II.
China has showcased combat drones.
Helicopters are flying in formation over Tiananmen Square.
The units participating in the parade include the members of China’s militia force.
Tanks rumble through the square.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un greeted veterans before joining other world leaders at the tribune.
Xi stated that only the equality of nations can ensure the world’s peaceful development.
The countries face tough challenges and a choice “between war and peace, dialogue and conflict,” Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his opening speech.
He added that China will “defend historical truth” about World War II and is committed to safeguarding peace in the world.
Russian President Putin has arrived at Tiananmen Square.
02 September 2025
In a single deal signed in Beijing, Russia has permanently redirected energy flows that had run westward for fifty years – straight to China. The groundbreaking Power of Siberia 2 pipeline will carry 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually, tapping the very same Arctic reserves that once powered German industry. This isn’t just a new pipeline; it’s a historic strategic shift that marks the end of an era for Europe, closing the chapter on cheap Siberian gas and hard-wiring China as Russia’s anchor market. For Brussels and Berlin, it’s more than a supply loss – it’s a structural break with the past.
What does this seismic redirection mean for global energy and geopolitics? China will soon import over 100 bcm of Russian gas each year – volumes comparable to what once sustained Europe’s industrial base – locking in a long-term supply far from US interference or Middle Eastern volatility. Meanwhile, the EU has been left dependent on expensive LNG imports, with no realistic path back to Russian gas. This explainer breaks down how three signatures in Beijing redrew the global energy map and what it tells us about the new strategic realities taking shape across Eurasia.
Read the full analysis to understand the details and implications of this monumental shift.
Amidst the Russian President’s visit to China, perhaps the most intriguing news is Beijing’s unilateral decision to waive visa requirements for Russians for one year. Although a trial measure, it represents a milestone – particularly given China’s general aversion to unilateral practices. Nevertheless, it has happened.
Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs
Read this and other analysis at @ru_global.
The third day of Putin’s official visit to China has come to an end.
Here is exclusive 360-degree camera footage from RT of the Russian president’s bilateral meetings with world leaders in Beijing.
Putin’s visit to China has been marked by a series of high-profile meetings on the sidelines of the SCO summit. New York Times correspondent Paul Sonne notes that three years ago Putin appeared “isolated” at the same gathering, while this week he was seen in a more relaxed setting, laughing alongside China’s Xi Jinping and India’s Narendra Modi, and holding late-night meetings with leaders from Iran, Turkey, and Vietnam.
According to Sonne, US president Donald Trump’s recent diplomacy has “helped end Mr. Putin’s isolation.”
Trump’s clashes with leaders in India, Brazil, and South Africa have created space for Moscow, while Modi’s warm public gestures — including “50 minutes chatting in Mr. Putin’s private limousine” — sent a message that India has other options. Russia, Sonne argues, has carefully cultivated ties with China, India, and Turkey as vital “lifelines for Moscow’s wartime economy.”
Previously Putin said that Russia is “not going to isolate itself,” stressing that it is “impossible to strictly isolate such a vast country” and that Moscow will work with partners “who want to cooperate.”
In Beijing, Lukashenko congratulated Vladimir Putin on his summit with Donald Trump, rejecting Western criticism and calling the initiatives agreed upon “a good thing.” He said he had told the US president that Russia and Belarus are “basically the same country.”
In his talks with Putin, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed that thanks to Russia and China, Belarus is the only geographically European member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, calling it highly important. He added that while he spoke with leaders including India’s Narendra Modi, “nobody is going to replace Russia for us.”
“The most seasoned night owls here…” joked Belarus’ Lukashenko as he and Putin met after 11pm in Beijing.
“Mr. President, I am happy to see you any time of day,” replied Putin.
Putin is holding talks in China with Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko. You can watch the live feed here.
Vucic stated that he and Putin discussed Belgrade’s cooperation with Moscow in the field of energy, including with Russia’s nuclear giant Rosatom.
He also said that the issue of US sanctions against the Russian-Serbian company Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS), 56.14% of which is owned by Russian energy giants Gazprom Neft and Gazprom, will be addressed jointly by the two countries.
Speaking in Russian to Kremlin correspondent Pavel Zarubin, Vucic called Putin a “dear friend” of Serbia and expressed gratitude for Moscow’s consistent support. The Serbian president said the two leaders had discussed energy, military-technical cooperation, and Russian participation in infrastructure projects.
Vucic knows Russian as he studied it during his school years, when the language was widely taught across Eastern Europe, including in Yugoslavia. He has maintained and practiced the language throughout his political career.
Fico, writing from China on his Facebook page, revealed he held an hour-long one-on-one discussion with Vladimir Putin focused on the Ukraine conflict. The Slovak prime minister said he plans to deliver a message to Vladimir Zelensky on Friday. He added that Putin briefed him on talks with US president Donald Trump in Alaska last month and shared perspectives on ending the conflict.
Fico’s meeting with Zelensky is scheduled to take place in the western Ukrainian city of Uzhgorod, bordering Slovakia.
Vladimir Putin is continuing his series of bilaterals and has begun a meeting with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s teenage daughter, Kim Ju-ae, is accompanying him on his visit to China, as shown in a photograph by the country’s KCNA news agency. It is the first time she has joined him on an overseas trip.
The new Power of Siberia 2 pipeline deal signed between Russia and China on Tuesday signals a major shift in the global gas market, despite ongoing uncertainties over its final costs, the Financial Times reported. Once operational in the early 2030s, the 50 bcm-per-year pipeline will redirect gas from fields that once supplied Europe eastward to China, providing Beijing with a land-based alternative to seaborne LNG from suppliers such as the US, Qatar, and Australia. Anne-Sophie Corbeau, a global research scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy told the outlet that the project could undermine the economics of proposed LNG export terminals, particularly in the US.
Speaking in Russian with Putin, Serbian President Vucic said Serbia has been under “heavy pressure since the start of the Ukrainian crisis” but will not impose restrictions on Moscow.
“Today we are the only country in Europe that has not introduced sanctions against the Russian Federation, and of course we will continue to maintain our neutrality,” Vucic said.
Cooperation between Russia and Serbia benefits both countries, Putin said on Tuesday, adding that Moscow respects Belgrade’s independent foreign policy course.
Vladimir Putin has begun talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic at Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.
Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping did not discuss the idea of deploying a Chinese peacekeeping contingent in Ukraine during their talks, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov has said.
“There was no conversation about this at all,” Ushakov told Russia’s Channel One.
Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will attend World War II commemoration events together in China and are expected to communicate further afterward, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told reporters on Tuesday.
“We know that he [Kim Jong-un] is already in China. Tomorrow our president and Kim Jong-un will be together at the parade and at the reception. We expect their contact at these two events to be followed up bilaterally,” Ushakov said.
He added that an invitation had been extended to Russia’s “Korean friends” and said he believed such a conversation would take place.
Pakistan’s relations with Russia have steadily improved in recent years thanks to the personal commitment of President Vladimir Putin, and Islamabad is determined to strengthen them further, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday.
“Our relations have continued to improve over many years thanks to your personal commitment and interest,” Sharif told Putin. “I am firmly determined to strengthen our bilateral ties, and I believe we are moving in the right direction.”
During his talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif, Putin said the South Asian nation “has been and remains our partner,” adding that “we value the relations that have developed between our countries.”
He invited Sharif to visit Russia in November for an SCO heads of government meeting, with the Pakistani leader saying he would be glad to attend.
Talks have begun between Putin and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Beijing. You can watch the live feed here
Putin’s meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Beijing reportedly lasted more than an hour.
After the open part of the talks, the two leaders held a one-on-one discussion, according to the Kremlin.
Russia has never objected to Ukraine joining the European Union, but its membership of NATO is a different matter, Putin told Fico during talks in Beijing.
“One country’s security cannot be ensured at the expense of someone else’s,” Putin said, adding that the issue concerned Russia’s security not only today or in the medium term, but also in the long run. “Our position is well known – for us, it’s [Ukrainian membership of NATO] unacceptable,” he said.
“At the same time, it is naturally Ukraine’s decision how to guarantee its own security,” Putin added. “But that security, as enshrined in fundamental documents including those on security in Europe, cannot be achieved at the expense of other countries, in particular, at the expense of the Russian Federation.”
Ukraine's NATO membership ambitions are unacceptable, but Slovakia is ready to cooperate with the country on European Union membership, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said during a meeting with Putin.
“I emphasize, I have said this from the very beginning, that Ukraine cannot become a NATO member. This is my final decision. But as for EU accession, we are ready to cooperate with Ukraine,” Fico explained.
“Many in the EU are like a frog at the bottom of a well, unable to see the world outside,” Fico told Putin during talks in China.
Fico added that although Slovakia is a member of NATO and the EU, it remains interested in normalizing relations with Russia.
In his talks with Fico, Putin called allegations of Russian plans to strike Europe “utter nonsense with no basis.”
“We see constant hysteria about Russia allegedly planning to attack Europe. For any sensible person, it is clear this is either a provocation or complete incompetence. Russia has never had, does not have, and will never have any desire to attack anyone,” he said.
Fico told Putin that Bratislava would “respond firmly” to attacks on energy infrastructure. The Slovak leader said he would raise the issue in talks with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky in Uzhgorod, a city in western Ukraine, on Friday. Ukrainian strikes on the Druzhba (‘Friendship’) oil pipeline last month repeatedly disrupted flows to Slovakia.
Russia values Slovakia’s independent foreign policy, Putin has said during talks with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Beijing.
“We highly appreciate the independent foreign policy pursued by you and your team, your government. This policy is delivering positive results, above all in terms of economic performance,” Putin stated.
Putin is holding talks in China with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. You can watch the live feed here
China will introduce a year-long trial visa-free regime for Russian citizens, Beijing’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun has announced.
From September 15, holders of ordinary Russian passports will be able to enter China without a visa for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits or exchanges, he told a briefing on Tuesday.
Moscow and Beijing launched a visa-free group tourist exchange in August 2023, which was used by nearly 130,000 people that year, according to Russia’s Association of Tour Operators.
Guo said the move reflected the high level of development in China-Russia ties under the strategic guidance of the two countries’ leaders and was aimed at deepening people-to-people exchanges.
The Kremlin has released footage of Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, where President Putin is due to hold a series of bilateral meetings with foreign counterparts.
A historic venue frequently used by Chinese leaders to host visiting dignitaries, the Diaoyutai compound has long been a site for high-level state talks.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has arrived in Beijing aboard his bulletproof ‘Sunshine’ train, according to Yonhap News Agency.
He is in the Chinese capital to attend the Victory Day parade as well as a trilateral meeting with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin.
Russia and China have signed more than 20 agreements on bilateral cooperation following talks in Beijing between Putin and Xi, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
The accords cover areas including energy, aerospace, artificial intelligence, agriculture, inspection and quarantine oversight, healthcare, scientific research, education, and media, the broadcaster said.
Putin and Xi have taken a walk around the grounds of the Chinese leader’s residence.
The leaders of Russia and China continued talks over tea at Xi’s private Zhongnanhai residence, the Kremlin said on Tuesday, releasing footage of the meeting.
The discussions followed earlier, broader talks between the two leaders. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, deputy head of Putin’s administration Maksim Oreshkin, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov and Defense Minister Andrey Belousov also participated in the meeting.
Russia, China and Mongolia have signed a legally binding memorandum on the construction of the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline to China, which would nearly double Russia’s capacity for the export of natural gas to the country.
They also agreed on the Soyuz-Vostok transit pipeline through Mongolia, Gazprom CEO Aleksey Miller announced on Tuesday after talks between the leaders of the three countries in Beijing.
Under the new deal, supplies are expected to run for 30 years with an annual capacity of 50 billion cubic meters.
The head of the Russian energy giant added that Russia and China also agreed to increase deliveries through the existing Power of Siberia pipeline from 38 bcm to 44 bcm per year, as well as expand shipments via the Far Eastern route, which currently envisages 10 bcm annually.
Preparations are well underway for Victory Day parade in China.
Putin praised the strength of ties between Moscow and Beijing during his meeting with Xi, calling their relations “strategic” and “at an unprecedentedly high level.” He expressed gratitude for the warm reception of the Russian delegation, noting that recent high-profile exchanges – including Xi’s visit to Russia in May – showcased the depth of cooperation between the two nations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have held bilateral talks. Xi hailed ties with Russia as a model of “good-neighborhood and all-encompassing strategic cooperation”, emphasizing the countries’ shared history and commitment to defending the legacy of the Second World War.
Xi told Putin, who will take part in events marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in WWII on Wednesday, he was “very happy to see you again in Beijing” and underscored the symbolism of attending each other’s commemorations of the anti-fascist war. “This has become a good tradition of bilateral relations,” Xi said, adding that both nations remain determined “to defend the results of the Second World War and its historical truth.”
Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh has addressed the trilateral meeting with China and Russia, emphasizing the historic significance of the meeting, which coincided with the 80th anniversary of World War II victories celebrated jointly by the three nations.
He highlighted the shared commitment of Mongolia, China, and Russia to preserving historical truth, preventing distortions, and passing down the importance of their common victory to future generations.
Khurelsukh praised the deepening of trilateral relations over the past decade, particularly progress in implementing the trilateral economic corridor program, which has been extended until 2031, with 33 priority projects already agreed upon.
He underscored Mongolia’s focus on expanding cooperation in infrastructure, transport, logistics, energy, and trade. Khurelsukh pointed to the successful first-ever meeting of the three countries’ heads of government in Islamabad in 2024, with another planned this year in Russia, as a vital step toward translating presidential-level agreements into action. He also announced that Mongolia signed an interim Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union in June, signaling the country’s commitment to broader economic integration and regional growth.
Trilateral cooperation between China, Russia and Mongolia is expanding across multiple fields, including trade, science, culture and the environment, Chinese President Xi Jinping has said. “Through it we are implementing a mid-term roadmap of trilateral cooperation and trilateral trade is growing,” Xi noted at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh.
He pointed to the China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor as a “key joint project” driving momentum and praised the progress made.
“To prop up a fence, you need three pillars, and a hero needs three assistants,” Xi said, adding that as “friendly neighboring countries that are united by rivers and by mountains and that share one destiny, China is ready to go along with Russia and Mongolia… to remove all the obstacles and to work together to promote high-quality trilateral cooperation.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has emphasized Moscow’s commitment to deepening mutually beneficial and multilateral relations with both China and Mongolia. He highlighted that bilateral cooperation remains strong but stressed the importance of enhancing collaboration in a trilateral format, which would add new momentum to regional initiatives.
Putin underscored the “natural” alignment among the three countries, noting their shared interests and common ground in political, economic, and regional matters.
Putin has held a trilateral meeting in Beijing with his Chinese and Mongolian counterparts. The discussions focused on strengthening both bilateral and trilateral cooperation, with emphasis on regional security and economic initiatives.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh met in Beijing on Tuesday, exchanging handshakes for the cameras before opening trilateral talks. The meeting came after Putin’s participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin, where leaders pledged closer coordination on regional challenges.