Kremlin unveils specifics of Putin-Xi discussions

(MENAFN) Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a lengthy New Year video call on Tuesday, focusing on the Ukraine conflict, Western sanctions, and Moscow’s potential engagement with the US under President Donald Trump’s return to office. According to Putin’s foreign-policy aide Yuri Ushakov, the call lasted over an hour and a half.

During the conversation, Putin reaffirmed Moscow’s willingness to negotiate with Washington to resolve the Ukraine conflict, stressing that Russia is open to building relations on a mutually beneficial and respectful basis, should Trump’s administration show a genuine interest. Trump has previously vowed to end the fighting between Moscow and Kiev quickly, with reports suggesting his team is exploring a peace plan for Ukraine, including a ceasefire and a demilitarized zone.

While Putin welcomed Trump’s comments on restoring US-Russia relations and preventing further escalation of the Ukraine conflict, Ushakov noted that Moscow had yet to be contacted by the White House to arrange a phone call between the two leaders. Xi also briefed Putin on his own recent conversation with Trump on January 17, which was unrelated to the inauguration.

Additionally, the leaders discussed the strengthening of economic and trade ties between Russia and China amid Western sanctions, including the development of transport infrastructure and energy projects. These included the ongoing work on the Far Eastern pipeline and other major initiatives like the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline and nuclear power plant collaborations.

MENAFN23012025000045015687ID1109121772