Chinese President Xi Jinping will arrive today (Monday) for his first visit to Russia since the invasion of Ukraine.
He is expected to talk privately with President Vladimir Putin.
The Kremlin published a schedule of the planned meetings between the two leaders.
The first personal meeting will be held today, followed by an "informal lunch".
Negotiations are expected to be held by Tuesday, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Yuri Ushakov, the Russian president's adviser on international affairs, said that Putin and Xi will sign documents that testify to the strengthening of relations between the two countries and to discuss the war in Ukraine.
Ahead of the state visit, Xi praised the strengthening ties with Moscow and tried again to offer China as a mediator in the war in Ukraine.
In an editorial published in "Russiaskaya Gazeta", a daily newspaper published by the Russian government, Xi called his visit to Moscow "a journey of peace", and wrote that China and Russia "
"Bilateral relations have grown naturally and are more resilient. They have new dynamism and life, and they serve as a good example for the development of a new model of relations between major countries, which are characterized by trust, peaceful coexistence and cooperation that both sides benefit from," he added.
Xi also addressed the Ukraine issue and presented China as a positive force of peace.
He said that Beijing's approach "is effective in preventing the crisis from spilling over and mediating a political agreement."
Vladimir Putin, for his part, praised China yesterday for "its readiness to make a significant contribution to the settlement of the crisis in Ukraine" in an article published on the Kremlin's website.
The two leaders, Uzbekistan 2022 (Photo: Reuters)
The President of Ukraine and the President of the United States in Kiev (Photo: screenshot, Twitter)
The article, written for a Chinese audience and titled "Russia and China: A partnership that looks to the future", the Russian president celebrated the deepening of relations between the two countries.
He called Xi an "old friend" and wrote: "We are grateful for China's balanced position regarding what is happening in Ukraine, for understanding the background and the real reasons for this. We welcome China's willingness to play a constructive role in resolving this crisis."
Putin blamed Ukraine for the failure of peace talks and also pointed to NATO as a culprit. "Unlike some countries that claim hegemony and sow discord in global harmony, Russia and China are building bridges literally and metaphorically," Putin wrote. "I am convinced that our friendship and partnership, which are based on a strategic choice of the peoples of the two countries, will continue to grow and strengthen for the benefit of the prosperity of China and Russia."
Xi plans to have a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after the visit.
The talk will be part of an attempt to balance the negative impact of his visit to Moscow on Xi's relations with the West, experts said.
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