Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Russia in 2025, according to Moscow’s ambassador to Beijing, Igor Morgulov. “As for concrete bilateral events, I can say that the appropriate plans are actively being drawn up,” Morgulov stated. “What can be said that is no secret, in terms of priority, is that the chairman of the People’s Republic of China is expected in Russia next year.”
At a press briefing, China’s foreign ministry did not confirm the visit but emphasized the close and consistent communication between the two nations at all levels.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Beijing in February 2022, days before launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, declaring a “no limits” partnership with China. He returned to China in May 2024 after his re-election, lauding a “new era” in bilateral relations centered on opposing U.S. policies. Xi Jinping, who secured an unprecedented third term in office, visited the Kremlin in 2023, where he was warmly received as a “dear friend.”
Morgulov told RIA that China understands the basis for Russia’s war in Ukraine, citing shared challenges stemming from U.S. and allied actions. “The U.S. and its allies are boosting pressure on China in the Asia-Pacific region,” Morgulov said, adding that NATO is planning to expand its military infrastructure into the region.
Russia and China, he stated, must jointly respond to these pressures. “In the international arena, it is up to our countries to respond further with a ‘dual counter-action’ to the ‘dual deterrence’ which the West is trying to pursue with regard to Russia and China,” Morgulov said.
China, in collaboration with Brazil, has proposed a peace plan to end the war in Ukraine. The plan includes measures to prevent escalation, organize an international peace conference, increase humanitarian aid, avoid nuclear crises, and protect global industrial and supply chains. It also calls for freezing battle lines and addressing the security concerns of both sides. While Russia has expressed support for the proposal, Ukraine has dismissed it, arguing that it aligns with Moscow’s interests. Kyiv’s latest peace plan includes a request for NATO membership, which stands in stark contrast to the China-Brazil initiative.
Currently, Russian forces occupy about 20% of Ukraine’s territory and have recently made their most significant advances since the early days of the war.
