Trump Leaves, Putin Arrives: Xi At Centre Of Rare Diplomatic Week

Key points

• Trump Leaves, Putin Arrives: Xi At Centre Of Rare Diplomatic Week Published By, Last Updated: May 18, 2026, 20:47 IST Xi Jinping will host Vladimir Putin in Beijing for a two-day visit to mark key Russia-China anniversaries, discuss ties and Ukraine amid scrutiny of their deepening partnership.
• Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) with China's President Xi Jinping in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in September 2025. (Image: AFP File) Four days since US President Donald Trump left China, Russian President Vladimir Putin will reach Beijing on Tuesday for a two-day visit, during which he is scheduled to meet his counterpart Xi Jinping.
• According to The Guardian, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin exchanged “congratulatory letters" on Sunday.
• Xi said the bilateral cooperation between Russia and China “continuously deepened and solidified" as this year will mark 30-year-anniversary of the two countries’ strategic partnership, Chinese state media reported.
• Putin is scheduled to visit Beijing on...