Russia’s President Putin says will soon meet 'my friend' Chinese President Xi Jinping

Russian President Vlimir Putin is expected to meet his 'friend' Chinese President Xi Jinping soon. "Quite soon we will have events, and re will be a meeting with president of People’s Republic of China," Putin said, according to Russian news agency Interfax. Russia's President is expected to travel to Beijing in October to hold an in-person meeting with his Chinese counterpart. 

Kremlin foreign policy viser Yury Ushakov in July h stated that Putin planned to visit China in October at time of its third "Belt and Ro" forum. Russia's President responded to an invitation that was issued by Xi during a high-profile state visit to Russia in March, 38th time two leers met since 2013. "He (Xi) calls me his friend, and I am happy to call him my friend because he is a person who does a lot for development of Russian-Chinese relations," Ushakov said, quoting Putin. Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, meanwhile, revealed that China h invited Russian leer as "main guest" for B&R forum. 

An era of much closer ties between two countries

Both Putin and Xi, during ir meeting in March, h heralded an era of much closer ties between ir two countries against West's efforts to isolate Moscow over "special military operation" in Ukraine. y signed a "no limits" partnership agreement in Beijing last year, weeks before Russia declared an all-out war in Kyiv. Putin is not known to have travelled abro since  International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against him in March, just before Xi's visit, for illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. 

Russian President is not planning a trip to G20 Summit in India in September, a Kremlin official confirmed. He informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Russia would be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during ir telephone conversation, Prime Minister's Office said. 

Last week, Putin participated remotely in BRICS summit of emerging economies that includes--Brazil, India, China and host, South Africa. This week, Putin is hosting Turkish leer Recep Tayyip Erdogan for talks in Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi. two will discuss now-suspended Black Sea Grain Initiative among or bilateral issues.