Putin lands in China for four-day visit, attends parade with Xi Jinping
Photo: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has arrived in China for a four-day visit. Chinese leader Xi Jinping invited him to attend a parade marking the anniversary of the end of World War II, according to Russian media.
In addition to the parade, Putin is expected to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. The summit will take place in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1.
The SCO is an international organization of mostly Asian countries, including Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus.
According to Russian propagandists, more than 20 foreign leaders are expected at the SCO summit. Putin is set to hold several meetings with Xi Jinping and could also meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope that China would urge Putin to seek peace in Ukraine during his visit to the SCO summit. He said a clear signal of Russia’s willingness for diplomacy would be a ceasefire.
Additionally, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called on countries participating in the SCO summit to respond firmly to Russia's attacks, specifically condemning the strike on Kyiv that killed more than 20 people, including children.
