Russia's Putin and China's Xi Jinping to engage in talks before year end, says report

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and China's President Xi Jinping will hold a conversation at some point before the end of the year, according to the Russian state news agency TASS. The specific details of the conversation, including the timing and format, will be announced at a later time, according to the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. In February, Putin and Xi Jinping declared a strong partnership between their two countries during Putin's visit to Beijing, which occurred shortly before Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

The partnership between Russia and China has become increasingly important for Putin as Western countries have condemned Russia's actions in the war and imposed economic sanctions on the country. However, in September, Putin publicly acknowledged that China had expressed concerns about the situation in Ukraine. Last week, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the deputy chairman of Putin's Security Council, met with Xi in Beijing. According to the Chinese state news agency Xinhua, Xi told Medvedev that China hopes all parties involved in the Ukraine crisis will show restraint and address security concerns through political means.

Russia and China have grown closer in recent years 

Russia and China have a long history of diplomatic and economic relations, and in recent years, their partnership has become increasingly close. The two countries have a shared border and have worked together on issues such as trade, energy, and defence. They have also coordinated their positions on international issues, including on the United Nations Security Council. In recent years, Russia and China have sought to strengthen their economic ties through initiatives such as the construction of a natural gas pipeline from Russia to China and increased trade between the two countries. They have also worked together on military exercises and defence cooperation, and have supported each other on issues such as the territorial disputes in the South China Sea.