Russian President Vladimir Putin conducted a video conference with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday, during which he suggested enhancing their strategic partnership, coinciding with Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president of the United States.

In February 2022, during Putin’s visit to Beijing, China and Russia established a “no limits” partnership, just days before Putin mobilized a significant number of troops into Ukraine. Recently, Putin has referred to China as an “ally.”

From his residence in Novo-Ogarevo, located outside Moscow, Putin greeted Xi and referred to him as his “dear friend.” He expressed his desire to discuss “new plans for the development of the Russian-Chinese comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation.”

“I concur with you that the collaboration between Moscow and Beijing is founded on a wide array of shared national interests and aligned perspectives on the nature of relations among major powers,” Putin stated to Xi, as captured in a Kremlin video of their discussion.

“Our relationship is built on friendship, mutual trust and support, equality, and mutual benefit. These ties are self-sustaining and not influenced by domestic political dynamics or the current global landscape.”

Xi reciprocated by calling Putin his “dear friend,” noting the strengthening of their relations and expressing hope for reaching new heights in their partnership, as translated live during the meeting.

Trump has indicated a tough stance on China and intends to engage with Putin regarding the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine. Following his inauguration, Trump remarked that Putin should negotiate a deal to end the war, as the ongoing conflict was “destroying” Russia.

As Russia continues its military engagement against NATO-backed Ukrainian forces, and China faces pressure from a coordinated U.S. strategy aimed at countering its expanding military and economic influence, both nations have increasingly aligned their geopolitical interests.

Putin and Xi possess a shared global perspective that views the West as morally decayed and in a state of decline, particularly as China seeks to challenge U.S. dominance across various fields, including quantum computing, synthetic biology, espionage, and military capabilities.

“We are united in our commitment to establishing a more equitable multi-polar world order, and we are actively working to ensure comprehensive security in the Eurasian region and globally,” stated Putin.

He emphasized that the diplomatic relations and collaborative efforts between Russia and China play a crucial stabilizing role in international relations.

In contrast, the U.S. perceives China as its primary competitor and Russia as its foremost nation-state threat. Former President Joe Biden has remarked that democracies worldwide are confronted with challenges posed by “autocracies” like China and Russia.

Putin noted that China is Russia’s largest trading partner, with trade reaching $245 billion in 2024, according to Chinese data. He mentioned that Russia ranks as China’s fifth largest trading partner.

Additionally, China is the largest consumer of Russian energy and the top single oil export market for Russia. Putin also indicated that both nations would continue to advance their collaboration on fast neutron reactors and the reprocessing of nuclear fuel.