Military cooperation between Russia and China is “increasingly important,” President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday, assuring that the two countries are not seeking to create an alliance similar to those of the Cold War.
“Our contacts in the military and techno-military spheres are increasingly important,” said Vladimir Putin, when receiving Chinese General Zhang Youxia, vice-president of the Central Military Commission, in Moscow.
Because the cooperation praised by Vladimir Putin is seen as a warning sign by Western countries, which want to prevent China from providing significant support to Russia in its offensive in Ukraine.
“Don’t help” Moscow
On Wednesday, the G7 also called on Beijing to “not help” Moscow in this conflict. The Russian president estimated that NATO seeks to “overcome its geographical framework” and that Washington is trying to “create new alliances” in Asia.
Moscow and Beijing maintain strong ties, further strengthened since the start of the Russian offensive in February 2022, which Beijing refuses to condemn. Vladimir Putin visited China in October, his first trip to a major world power since his forces attacked Ukraine almost two years ago.
Earlier on Wednesday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also assured that Russia and China “do not create a military bloc,” unlike, according to him, “certain aggressive Western countries.” Receiving Zhang Youxia, he said that the cooperation between the two countries was not “directed against third countries.”
Sergei Shoigu wanted to talk to him about “measures that should be taken to strengthen cooperation in the field of defense,” according to the Russian Ministry. Zhang Youxia, for his part, considered Russian-Chinese relations to be at their “highest level,” according to a Russian transcript of his remarks.
Source: BFM TV
