Xi Jinping Visits Moscow Amid Strengthened China-Russia Ties

Chinese leader Xi Jinping will visit Moscow for four days as Vladimir Putin’s “main guest” at Russia’s May 9 Victory Day celebrations, signaling strengthened China-Russia alignment amid heightened US-China trade tensions and shifting geopolitics. Xi will attend WWII commemorations and a military parade featuring a Chinese honor guard, as Russia seeks to showcase its military despite the ongoing war in Ukraine. Putin’s proposed three-day ceasefire was rejected by Kyiv as theatrics, with Ukraine warning it can’t ensure safety on Russian territory amid continued drone strikes. Analysts say Beijing aims to deepen energy and trade ties with Moscow—vital as US-China tariffs escalate—while weighing European perceptions, particularly whether Xi signals any meaningful stance on peace in Ukraine. China-Russia trade has hit records, with Western governments alleging Chinese dual-use goods bolster Russia’s war effort, which Beijing frames as “normal trade.” The visit offers both leaders a platform to promote a multipolar order and criticize US “unilateralism.”

China’s Xi Jinping began a four-day visit to Russia, timed with Moscow’s Victory Day parade, amid mass Ukrainian drone attacks that disrupted Moscow airports. Xi, greeted with military honors, will hold talks with Vladimir Putin, attend the parade, and is expected to sign cooperation deals, including discussion of the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline. The trip highlights the deepening “no limits” China-Russia relationship as bilateral trade hits record levels despite Western sanctions. Kyiv accuses China of aiding Russia’s war effort, including tolerance of Chinese nationals fighting for Russia. Moscow says 29 world leaders will attend the commemorations, with notable guests including Brazil’s Lula da Silva and Slovakia’s Robert Fico.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is traveling to Moscow for Russia’s Victory Day celebrations, underscoring deepening China-Russia ties and a shared narrative of U.S. decline. The visit builds on Xi’s previous pledge with Vladimir Putin to drive historic global “changes,” signaling strategic alignment amid the war in Ukraine and growing friction with the West. The trip highlights Beijing and Moscow’s coordinated challenge to U.S. influence, even as it raises concerns among Western allies about the implications for global security and power dynamics.