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Analysis: This is the goal of Putin and Xi’s meeting in Beijing
02:44 – Source: CNN
- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met in Beijing Thursday. China is Russia’s top trade partner, and international sanctions over Moscow’s war in Ukraine have driven the two economies closer.
- Russia is pushing into northeastern Ukraine after a surprise assault there last week. More than 7,500 people have been evacuated from the Kharkiv region.
- Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky halted his upcoming international visits as his country grapples with the Russian offensive.
- The US announced $2 billion in military financing for Ukraine. On a surprise trip to Kyiv, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said much-needed ammunition and weapons are being rushed to the front lines.
- Here’s how to help Ukraine during the third year of Russia’s invasion.
Our live coverage for the day has ended. Follow the latest Ukraine news or read through the updates below.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping sought to deepen ties across energy, trade and security on Thursday, against a backdrop of political unrest.
Both leaders made specific references to the war in Ukraine, sovereignty in Taiwan and fighting in the Middle East, during Putin’s two-day state visit to Beijing.
Here are the latest developments:
- ‘International turbulence’: Putin and Xi expressed “very deep concern” over “destabilizing” US military activity with allies “that have a clear anti-Russian and anti-Chinese orientation,” in a statement released by the Kremlin. Referencing Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Russia said it welcomes the readiness of China “to play a constructive role” in the political and diplomatic settlement of the war.
- Symbolic overseas trip: Putin’s visit marked his first foray abroad since starting a new term as Russia’s president last week, as Russia and China form closer relations in the face of heavy friction with the West. Relations between the two countries are “experiencing the best period in their history,” the statement from the Kremlin added.
- Zelensky warns of Russian advances: In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky met with senior military officials in Kharkiv city. He described an “extremely difficult” outlook for Ukrainian troops on the ground, after Moscow’s forces drove a surprise cross-border attack in the northeastern region earlier this month. Lt. Col. Nazar Voloshyn said combat in the Kharkiv direction “is changing dynamically.”
- Civilians try to flee beleaguered Kharkiv: A senior Ukrainian minister alleged Russian forces are prohibiting civilians evacuating from the town of Vovchansk, one of the sites of Moscow’s sweeping offensive towards Kharkiv. CNN is unable to independently verify the claims from Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko and has asked the Russian Defense Ministry for comment.
- Ukrainians celebrate national identity: On the third Thursday of May, Ukrainians worldwide celebrate the Vyshyvanka, a traditional embroidered shirt. Nowadays, many wear the Vyshyvanka as a challenge to Russia, as a display of their national identity and to celebrate the long history of Ukraine. Zelensky said the shirt is synonymous with “those who defend humanity, freedom, and the right to self-identity,” in a post on X.
Chinese President Xi Jinping had an in-depth exchange of views Thursday on the war in Ukraine with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, according to a statement from China’s foreign ministry.
During the meeting in Beijing, Xi conveyed China’s support for convening an international peace conference to settle the “Ukraine crisis” and reiterated China’s commitment to continue to play a constructive role in an early political settlement, according to the statement.
Putin said he welcomed China’s stance on Ukraine and said Moscow would further ensure a consensus is reached between both sides.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he would “very much like China to be involved” in Ukraine’s peace plan.
The Ukrainian peace summit is set to take place next month in Switzerland.
Russia has not been represented in any of the four closed-door international peace talks so far and will not be participating this year. China has only attended one hosted by its increasingly close strategic partner, Saudi Arabia.
NATO believes Russian troops don’t have the numbers necessary for a “strategic” breakthrough in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, a senior commander of the military alliance said on Thursday, though he acknowledged that Moscow’s forces have made “local advances.”
Responding to a question about Russian troops pushing deeper into the northeastern region, Gen. Christopher Cavoli, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, told a press conference in Brussels that “(Russians) don’t have the skill and the capability to do it, to operate at the scale necessary to exploit any breakthrough to strategic advantage.”
NATO’s assessment comes after Russian forces took control of several villages close to the border since launching a surprise attack on May 10.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with senior military officials in Kharkiv earlier on Thursday. He described an “extremely difficult” outlook for Kyiv’s troops on the ground, where “we are strengthening our units.”
Ukraine’s Lt. Col. Nazar Voloshyn warned combat in the Kharkiv direction “remains complicated and is changing dynamically.”
On the third Thursday of every May, Ukrainians across the globe celebrate the vyshyvanka, a traditional embroidered shirt.
Yet the stitched panelling of a vyshyvanka extends beyond the garment itself. For many Ukrainians, each star or flower design is a symbolic expression of their right to self-determination.
“I think that vyshyvanka is a very vivid symbol that speaks for itself. Wearing vyshyvanka is very easy to show your identity, your position, your belonging to a certain group,” said Natalia Kamenska, co-founder of the Ukrainian brand Gunja Project. “It is a way of saying ‘We are Ukrainians.’”
Ukrainians mark Vyshyvanka Day by wearing the traditional dress. Kamenska, a designer, told CNN the shirt helps Ukrainian people form a sense of belonging in the face of colossal grief and uncertainty.
Kamenska described the war in Ukraine as “a tumultuous time” for her compatriots.
“With families being separated, people fleeing their homeland, people have a sense of constant anxiety from not knowing what will happen tomorrow,” she added. “For many people, vyshyvanka is a thing that reminds them of the importance of everything that is happening now.”
The Russian military is not allowing civilians to evacuate from the town of Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region, according to Ukraine’s interior minister on Thursday. Ihor Klymenko said that National Police investigators in the region have launched a criminal investigation “into the violation of the rules and customs of war.”
CNN is unable to independently verify Klymenko’s claims and has contacted the Russian Defense Ministry for comment.
Klymenko said the police evacuation teams continue to work in Vovchansk “despite intense fighting and are trying to ensure further evacuation of people.”
Oleksii Kharkivskyi, the chief patrol officer of the Vovchansk Police Department, posted on Facebook on Thursday that evacuations are still underway and that “staying in the town is dangerous.”
The head of the Kharkiv regional military administration, Oleh Syniehubov, also said Thursday that evacuations continue but claims Russian forces have used cluster munitions to attack a village in the Vovchansk area, injuring five people.
Some context: The town of Vovchansk, located about 60 km (or about 37 miles) northeast of Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv, has been the scene of some of the most intense battles in areas near the border in recent days as Russia continues efforts to push deeper into Ukrainian territory.
Every year, on the third Thursday of May, Ukrainians worldwide celebrate Vyshyvanka Day.
This holiday is dedicated to preserving Ukraine’s famous embroidered shirt, known as a “vyshyvanka,” as a symbol of its people’s material and spiritual heritage.
Ukrainian embroidery varies in its techniques, and different regions across the country produce their own patterns. Traditionally, each stitch, star or flower has a particular meaning.
In the past, many Ukrainians saw the embroidery as a protective talisman and it represents happiness, fate, life and victory.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed to strengthen ties across energy, trade, security and geopolitics on Thursday, as both parties displayed their close relationship against the backdrop of regional unrest.
Both leaders shared their vision in a statement released by the Kremlin after a meeting in Beijing, with specific references to the war in Ukraine, sovereignty in Taiwan and fighting in the Middle East.
Putin and Xi said they would “deepen trust” and military “cooperation” by expanding dual exercises and combat training, regularly holding joint sea and air patrols and improving the “level of joint response to challenges and threats.”
The two countries also expressed “very deep concern” over what they described as “extremely destabilizing” US military activity with allies “that have a clear anti-Russian and anti-Chinese orientation.”
Referencing Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Russia said it welcomes the readiness of China “to play a constructive role” in the political and diplomatic settlement of the war.
“It is necessary to eliminate its root causes and adhere to the principle of the indivisibility of security,” the statement said. “There can be no winners in a nuclear war and it should never be fought.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with senior military officials in the city of Kharkiv on Thursday, as Russian forces push deeper into the northeastern region.
The Ukrainian leader described an “extremely difficult” outlook for Kyiv’s troops on the ground, where “we are strengthening our units.” He also met with the senior officials from other border and frontline regions.
Efforts to bolster Ukrainian forces were concentrated in Lyptsi and Vovchansk; a town located about 60 km (37 miles) northeast of Kharkiv city and the site of some of the most intense battles near the border.
At the same time, Lt. Col. Nazar Voloshyn warned combat in the Kharkiv direction “remains complicated and is changing dynamically.”
“Our forces are preventing the occupiers from gaining a foothold in certain areas in the northern Kharkiv region,” Voloshyn said in a television interview.
Russian forces have taken control of more than nine villages close to the border since they launched a surprise attack on May 10.
American soldier Gordon Black, who was arrested in Russia on suspicion of theft, has “admitted guilt” and is cooperating with the investigation, Russian state news agency TASS reported Thursday quoting law enforcement agencies.
“The accused admitted guilt and is cooperating with the investigation. This happens in English through an interpreter,” a law enforcement representative told TASS.
Staff Sgt. Gordon Black was arrested in Vladivostok on May 2. He is accused of “committing secret theft” of property and causing “significant damage,” the Pervomaisky District Court of Vladivostok said.
Black remains in pre-trial detention as authorities assess whether he has been provided everything he needs, including access to a lawyer, the chairman of the regional Public Monitoring Commission (ONC) Vladimir Naidin told TASS.
Black was stationed in South Korea and after completing his service, went to Vladivostok to visit a Russian woman with whom he had a romantic relationship, according to TASS. He was arrested at a time of elevated tensions between the US and Russia as the war in Ukraine grinds on. However, a Russian Foreign Ministry representative told TASS that the case is “not related to politics or espionage.”
At the time of his arrest, the US State Department confirmed that a US citizen was detained in Russia. “We have no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas,” a State department spokesperson said at the time. Several other Americans are also being held in Russia, including two who have been declared as wrongfully detained by the US State Department – Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former Marine Paul Whelan.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping will discuss the war in Ukraine in informal talks later Thursday evening.
The talks are expected to include Russia’s newly appointed Defense Minister Andrey Belousov and his predecessor Sergei Shoigu, now secretary of Russia’s Security Council.
Putin replaced close ally Shoigu as defense minister with Belousov in a major reshuffle of military leadership earlier this week.
The shake-up comes off the back of significant advances by Russian troops in Ukraine’s east. With defense spending soaring, Belousov’s appointment suggests Russia’s strategy will continue to focus on outgunning Ukraine.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin have pledged to deepen their partnership in Beijing in a stark show of their growing alignment as Russian troops advance in Ukraine.
Xi hailed the two countries’ deepening ties, which were formalized in a joint statement inked by the leaders in a ceremony Thursday, saying they would “inject strong momentum” in the development of their relations.
Putin – whose delegation includes top defense and security officials – was welcomed by Xi to Beijing’s Great Hall of the People earlier with full military pageantry, heralding the start of his for the start of his two-day state visit.
China is Russia’s main trading partner, and international sanctions over Moscow’s war in Ukraine have driven the two economies closer.
In meetings with Putin, Xi proclaimed that China-Russian relations have “stood the test of a changing international landscape” and “have been moving forward steadily with enhanced comprehensive strategic coordination,” according to a readout from China’s Foreign Ministry.
Read the full story.
Following talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Thursday, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said “both sides agree that political resolution to the Ukraine issue is the right direction.”
Xi lamented that a “cold-war mentality continues to linger” and “unilateral hegemony, camp confrontations and power politics threaten world peace and security of every country.”
Some background: China has repeatedly defended its trade with Russia as part of normal bilateral relations. It also says it maintains a neutral position on the war and plays no other role than seeking peace. During meetings with European leaders last week, Xi pushed back against allegations of his country’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian band 19.99, who played a rendition of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World” with Antony Blinken in Kyiv on Tuesday, said it was a “surreal situation” but they believe it sent an “important message.”
The US Secretary of State made the surprise appearance on stage in a bar in Kyiv as part of his visit to the Ukrainian capital, where he also met President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss battlefield updates and the importance of US aid.
Dmitry Temnyi, lead singer of 19.99, told CNN’s Rosemary Church on Thursday that it was like a “fairytale” and praised Blinken as a “very good guitarist.”
Drummer Mykyta Kovtunenko said the concert sent an “important message for support in these hard times” to all those watching on TV or online.
Blinken’s appearance at Barman Dictat — a popular underground cocktail bar and music venue just off Kyiv’s main street, Khreshchatyk — was kept a secret from the band until the last minute.
The group thought they might be playing with Neil Young as they had been asked to prepare his 1989 hit.
Guitarist Arsen Gorbach said they had received a message saying that “there won’t be Neil Young, there would be one VIP guest.”
In a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, President Vladimir Putin hailed China as Russia’s main trading partner, as international sanctions over Moscow’s war in Ukraine drive the two economies closer.
During his state visit to Beijing on Thursday, Putin said China and Russia have “accumulated a solid baggage of practical cooperation” and identified energy, industry, and agriculture among his priorities, Russian state news agency TASS reported.
In turn, Xi said China is willing to always be Russia’s “good neighbor, friend and partner” and will work together “to consolidate the lasting friendship between the two peoples” as well as “uphold fairness and justice in the world.”
Record trade: Russia’s war in Ukraine has driven the two leaders and their economies closer together — with trade hitting record levels last year as Russia upped its imports of key commodities from China and Chinese buyers lapped up discounted Russian fuel.
Sanctions prompt trade shift: The European Union, the US and other nations have imposed a range of sanctions targeting Russian entities and the flow of goods to and from the warring country. Those have included efforts to limit its revenue from key exports like fuel, as well as its access to technologies and goods with military applications.
The sanctions have caused a sweeping shift in who Russia trades with — and China has emerged as a key economic lifeline. The two countries last year racked up $240 billion in bilateral trade, hitting a target to exceed $200 billion in two-way trade by 2024 ahead of schedule — a feat lauded by both Putin and Xi.
Read more about Putin’s meeting with Xi.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is in Beijing for the start of a two-day state visit underlining close alignment with Chinese leader Xi Jinping as Russian troops advance in Ukraine.
The visit — Putin’s symbolic first overseas foray since entering a new term as Russia’s president last week – is the latest sign of deepening relations as the two bind their countries closer in the face of heavy frictions with the West.
This is the fourth in-person meeting between Xi and Putin since Russia’s invasion and Putin’s second visit to Beijing in that time.
Russian troops have been pushing into northeastern Ukraine since their surprise assault on May 10 in the border region of Kharkiv. Their advances in the region are Moscow’s most significant since Ukrainian forces recaptured Kharkiv in 2022.
Here are more of the latest headlines:
- US financing: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded a trip to Kyiv on Wednesday, where he reaffirmed the Biden administration’s support for Ukraine and announced $2 billion in military financing for Ukraine. Blinken said much-needed ammunition and weapons are being rushed to the front lines.
- On the ground in Kharkiv: Ukrainian officials suggested Wednesday further gains by Russian forces in the region. The town of Vovchansk is seeing some of the most intense battles in areas near the border, with one police official saying Russian forces are already in the town. But President Volodymyr Zelensky said later on Wednesday that Ukrainian forces had partially stabilized the area.
- Fighting delays diplomacy: Zelensky has halted his upcoming international visits as the beleaguered country grapples with the Russian offensive.
- UNICEF report: Almost 2,000 children in Ukraine have been killed or wounded since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022, according to the UN’s children’s agency (UNICEF).On average, at least two children die in Ukraine every day, UNICEF reported on Tuesday.
- Disinformation campaign: Russia has stepped up its disinformation efforts to discredit Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and raise questions about his legitimacy in recent months, US intelligence agencies have observed.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping rolled out a red carpet for Russian President Vladimir Putin as the two leaders met in Beijing on Thursday, heralding the start of a two-day state visit.
Putin was welcomed to the Chinese capital by a military band serenade and multiple-gun salute outside the Great Hall of the People.
The meeting in Beijing – Putin and Xi’s fourth time speaking face-to-face since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 – comes as international concern about the direction of the war mounts.
Xi welcomes Putin under pressure from both the US and Europe to ensure soaring exports from China to Russia since aren’t propping up the Kremlin’s war effort.
White House officials in recent weeks have confronted Beijing on what they believe is substantial support – in the form of goods like machine tools, drone and turbojet engines, and microelectronics – from China for Russia’s defense industrial base.
Beijing has slammed the US as making “groundless accusations” over “normal trade and economic exchanges” between China and Russia.
Read the full story.
As countries around the world ramped up sanctions on Russia in the wake of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it became clear that Russian President Vladimir Putin still had a powerful friend in Xi Jinping.
This week, Xi is welcoming Putin to China for a two-day state visit — their fourth in-person meeting since Russia’s onslaught in Ukraine began.
The war has driven the two leaders and their economies closer together — with trade hitting record levels last year as Russia upped its imports of key commodities from China and Chinese buyers lapped up discounted Russian fuel.
The United States has said Chinese exports of products like machine tools and microelectronics are enabling Russia to bolster the defense industrial base powering its war in Ukraine, and official data show hefty increases in related goods that are consistent with those claims.
Sanctions drive economies closer: The European Union, the US and others across the world have imposed sanctions targeting Russian entities and the flow of goods to and from the warring country.
Despite these efforts to isolate Putin’s government and reduce its war coffers, Russia’s economy blew past expectations to grow by 3.6% in 2023, according to data from the International Monetary Fund.
China has emerged as a key economic lifeline and is now Russia’s top trade partner.
Governments warn against support for Russia’s war effort: White House officials in recent weeks have confronted China on what they believe is Beijing’s substantial support for Russia’s defense industrial base, including through exports like semiconductors, materials and machine tools they say are enabling Russia to ramp up production of tanks, munitions and armored vehicles.
Read the full story.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is in Beijing for the start of a two-day state visit to China, underlining his close alignment with leader Xi Jinping as Russian troops make significant advances in Ukraine.
The visit — Putin’s symbolic first overseas foray since entering a new term as Russia’s president last week – is a mark of Xi’s support for Putin.
Putin landed in the Chinese capital early Thursday morning, hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he would halt all upcoming international visits as his troops defend a surprise Russian offensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region.
The meeting in Beijing comes as Russia’s economy and defense complex appears unbowed by Western sanctions.
Ahead of the trip, Putin hailed the “unprecedented level of strategic partnership” between the countries in an interview with Chinese state media Xinhua.
He also praised China’s “approaches to resolving the crisis in Ukraine.”
Beijing has never condemned Russia’s invasion. It claims neutrality in the conflict and has called for peace talks that take both sides’ positions into account.
Read the full story.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that his defense and security forces managed “to partially stabilize the situation” in the northern Kharkiv region, where Russian troops are making advances.
Zelensky said Wednesday night that Ukrainian forces continue defensive actions in areas near the Russian border and in Vovchansk, which is about 60 kilometers (37 miles) northeast of Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv.
The border town of Vovchansk was liberated from Russian occupation more than 18 months ago when Ukraine recaptured Kharkiv.
Zelensky said his troops were using artillery, drones, and infantry to stop the advance of Russian troops.
He said all other areas of the Ukrainian frontline are treated with “the same attention” as the Kharkiv region and that Russia’s onslaught will not lead to defensive gaps elsewhere along the frontline.
Ukraine’s army echoed Zelensky’s words, saying that troops “continue to carry out defense and stabilization measures in Vovchansk and are keeping the situation under control there.”
Russia launched a surprise cross-border assault on May 10, targeting the Kharkiv region.
Ukrainian officials on Wednesday called the town of Vovchansk an epicenter of fierce battles. Russia has already taken control of more than nine villages near the border in recent days.
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