RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE
Moscow-Beijing military cooperation ‘key’ for international stability – Putin
The Russian-Chinese strategic partnership has multiple aspects, with military cooperation being a key component, Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in a call on Friday. The two nations share a vision of a more just future world, he said.
Putin and Xi held bilateral talks via video link, with opening remarks by both leaders televised to the public. The Russian president said he welcomed the rapid development of political, economic, humanitarian and other ties with China.
Military cooperation is particularly important, he stressed, saying that it “fosters the security of both of our nations and stability in key regions” of the world. He said concerted actions by Moscow and Beijing help create “a just world order based on international law”.
“You and I have similar views on the reasons, progress and the logic of the ongoing transformation of the global geopolitical landscape,” he observed.
Amid unprecedented pressure and provocation by the West, we are standing up for our principled positions, defending not only our interests, but the interests of those who support a truly democratic world order and the right of nations to determine their fate.
Xi agreed that the international situation was in turmoil and said that China was prepared to “improve strategic cooperation with Russia to provide opportunities for development for each other” and to be “global partners in the interest of our peoples and for the sake of stability in the entire world.”
The US has designated both China and Russia as strategic rivals and accused them of trying to undermine the “rules-based order.” Beijing believes that Washington is trapped in a “Cold War mentality” and that it rejects “win-win cooperation” for geopolitical reasons. Moscow says the US is trying to preserve its hegemonic position in the face of a natural rise of alternative power centers in the modern world.
** Hundreds of American troops are in Ukraine
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has alleged that up to “hundreds” of American servicemen are deployed to Ukraine. Lavrov claimed that US soldiers, military advisers, and intelligence officers have long been direct participants in the conflict.
Sitting down with Russia’s Channel One for an interview on Wednesday, Lavrov spoke at length about Washington’s deep involvement in the hostilities in Ukraine, which has steadily grown despite repeated assurances from American leaders that US personnel would have no role in the fighting.
“Dozens, maybe even hundreds of American troops are in Ukraine, they were there even before the coup,” the FM said, referring to the 2014 ouster of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich by nationalist groups and pro-Western activists. “CIA officers occupied at least one floor in the Security Service of Ukraine.”
Lavrov also claimed that the US military attaché based in Kiev has provided significant advice to the Ukrainian authorities, saying, “Military specialists are obviously engaged not only in making visits to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, but, of course, in one way or another they provide direct advisory, and maybe even more than advisory, services.”
He noted that a separate team of US specialists, created after American lawmakers demanded a more robust mechanism for tracking billions in lethal aid, has traveled to Ukraine to monitor the flow of Western arms to the country.
Given that “Ukraine is receiving more and more and better Western weapons,”the FM said Russian forces are now formulating plans to disrupt the arms shipments, adding that “Railway lines, bridges and tunnels” are being considered as targets to “make these deliveries more difficult or, ideally, stop them altogether.”
Lavrov went on to argue that Western states declared “war” on Russia nearly a decade ago, soon after the 2014 Euromaidan revolution, which was followed by US and NATO military support for the post-coup government.
“The collective West, which is headed by a nuclear power – the United States – is at war with us,” he said. “This war was declared on us quite a long time ago, after the coup d’état in Ukraine that was orchestrated by the United States and, in fact, backed by the European Union.”
So far this year, Washington has authorized more than $20 billion in direct military aid to Ukraine, not counting the separate ‘Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative’ and billions more in economic and humanitarian assistance. US officials have indicated that these policies will continue, pledging to supply Kiev with as much aid as is needed for “as long as it takes.”
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he was expecting Chinese President Xi Jinping to make a state visit early next year in what would be a public show of solidarity from Beijing as Russia's invasion of Ukraine falters.
But an official Chinese readout of a video summit between the two leaders highlighted differences in approach to their developing alliance, making no mention of a visit and stressing that Beijing, which has declined to back or condemn the invasion, would maintain its "objective and fair" stance.
Since sending troops into Ukraine in February, Russia has turned its back on Western powers that have ostracised it economically and politically and armed Ukraine, courting the rising global power of long-time rival China instead.
"We are expecting you, dear Mr. Chairman, dear friend, we are expecting you next spring on a state visit to Moscow," Putin told Xi in an effusive eight-minute introductory statement broadcast on state television.
"This will demonstrate to the whole world the strength of Russian-Chinese ties on key issues."
He also said he aimed to boost military cooperation with China - although there was no mention of this in the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV's report of the call.
Although Xi called Putin his "dear friend", his introductory statement, at around a quarter the length of Putin's, was far more pragmatic in tone.
The two men had signed a "no limits" strategic partnership in February, informed by shared distrust of the West, a few days before Russia sent its armed forces into Ukraine in what it terms a "special military operation".
The United States said after the call that it was "concerned" by China's alignment with Russia, and reiterated it had warned Beijing of consequences should it provide Russia with military assistance for its war against Ukraine or assistance in evading Western sanctions.
"We are monitoring Beijing's activity closely," a State Department spokesperson said. "Beijing claims to be neutral, but its behaviour makes clear it is still investing in close ties to Russia."
U.S. officials have consistently said they have yet to see Beijing provide material support to Russia for the war, a move that could provoke sanctions against China.
TRADE SOARS
Since major Western economies responded to the invasion with an unprecedented, coordinated barrage of sanctions, Russia has been forced to seek other markets, and has overtaken Saudi Arabia as the top crude supplier to China. Bilateral trade has soared and financial ties have been expanded.
On Friday, Russia's Finance Ministry doubled the maximum possible share of Chinese yuan in its National Wealth Fund (NWF) to 60% as Moscow tries to "de-dollarise" its economy and end dependency on "unfriendly" nations including the United States, European Union members and Britain and Japan.
Moscow has also publicly backed Xi's position on Taiwan and accused the West of trying to provoke a conflict over the status of the self-governing island, which China claims as its own.
Putin told Xi: "You and I share the same views on the causes, course and logic of the ongoing transformation of the global geopolitical landscape, in the face of unprecedented pressure and provocations from the West."
However, Xi has been less vocal in his criticism of Western countries that are China's key export market, and has appeared cool on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
China has refrained from condemnation, instead stressing the need for peace, but Putin in September publicly acknowledged that his Chinese counterpart had "concerns" about Russia's actions.
Xi did, however, tell Putin on Friday that China was ready to increase strategic cooperation with Russia against the backdrop of what he called a "difficult" situation in the world at large.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the meeting had been substantive and constructive, but that no date had yet been set for Xi's visit.
RT/Reuters
