According to China, Russian President Vladimir Putin is traveling to Beijing this week. Putin will visit the Chinese capital on Thursday and Friday at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, as announced by the Foreign Ministry in Beijing on Tuesday.

This is Putin’s first foreign trip since his re-election in March and his second visit to China within seven months. As reported by Reuters, Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed his support for China’s plan to peacefully resolve the Ukraine crisis in an interview.

Putin said that China fully understands the conflict and its background. The interview was conducted before Putin’s visit to Beijing. He made it clear that Russia is still open to dialogue and negotiations to resolve the conflict that is over two years old.

Putin praises Xi’s peace-promoting initiative

According to Putin, the plan and the “principles” published by President Xi Jinping last month take into account the factors that caused the conflict. Putin said the additional principles set by Xi in talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz are “realistic and constructive steps” that further develop “the idea of the need to overcome the mentality of the Cold War.”

China’s controversial peace plan receives mixed response

Beijing had already proposed a 12-point plan more than a year ago which set general principles for ending the war but provided no specific details. As Reuters reported, the plan was only lukewarmly received in both Russia and Ukraine while the USA criticized China for presenting itself as a peacemaker and at the same time reflecting Russia’s “false narrative” and failing to condemn its invasion.

Russia sees itself in a fight against the “collective West”

Russia views the conflict as a struggle against the collective West which ignores Moscow’s security concerns by promoting NATO’s eastward expansion and military activities near Russia.

Just a few days before Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia and China declared a “boundless” relationship. However, Beijing has so far avoided providing actual weapons and ammunition for Russia’s war efforts.

Zelensky’s peace demands meet Russian rejection

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky demands in his peace plan the withdrawal of Russian troops, the restoration of the post-Soviet borders of 1991 and Russia’s accountability for its actions. A peace summit is planned for June in Switzerland.

However, Russia is not invited and describes the initiative as meaningless. According to Reuters, China has participated in some preparatory talks for the summit and Ukraine has made great efforts to encourage it to participate.