The latest news on the war between Russia and Ukraine | Wilnesh News

Russia’s relations with superpower China are in the spotlight as Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Both countries’ relations with the West are increasingly tense, while their own alliances appear to be flourishing.

However, analysts say the relationship is complex, with interests and needs linking the two countries, such as trade and investment and a shared hostility to the West, while other factors drive the relationship further apart, such as Russia’s growing presence on the global stage. of unpredictability and constant intrusion.

Sam Greene, director of the Democratic Resilience Program at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), told CNBC that whether you like it or not, the relationship between Russia and China is “inevitable.”

“Calling them strategic partners might be a bit much, but they are aligned strategically in many ways, maybe not entirely by their own decisions, maybe not entirely to their own liking, but inevitably by their decisions. the result of the decision.

“Neither Putin nor Xi Jinping can achieve what they want to achieve domestically and internationally without the support of the other. Having said that, it is not symmetrical, China has more, more options and more, More flexibility,” he added.

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— Holly Elliot

Russian President Vladimir Putin paid high praise to Chinese President Xi Jinping during his two-day state visit to China.

According to Reuters, after about 45 minutes of talks between the two leaders and their delegations, Putin told a press conference that the discussions were “warm and comradely” and showed the importance of the relationship between the two countries.

He said it was “logical” that his first foreign trip after being re-elected for his fifth term would be to China, Russia’s most important ally in the world.

Putin thanked President Xi Jinping for his warm reception during his visit. Earlier, the two leaders held talks, and Putin said they discussed thorny issues such as trade and investment, deepening energy cooperation and Ukraine.

Putin said Russia appreciated China’s attempts to resolve what Beijing called the “crisis” in Ukraine and said he would brief Xi Jinping on the situation in Ukraine, where Russian forces are making progress in a new offensive in the northeast.

The leaders of the two countries earlier signed a joint statement on deepening the “strategic partnership for a new era” Official media Xinhua News Agency said. Other Russian and Chinese officials are reportedly set to sign another 10 documents, although it is unclear what these potential bilateral agreements would involve.

— Holly Elliot

The new secretary of the Russian Security Council, Sergei Shoigu, said that Russian troops are advancing in all directions in Ukraine.

“As Supreme Commander Putin said, it is obvious that the offensive is being launched in all directions and is progressing smoothly,” Shoigu said in a statement. an interview Together with VGTRK reporter Pavel Zarubin, RIA Novosti reports.

Russian troops have taken control of two more settlements in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday, adding to daily gains in the northeast as a new offensive gains momentum.

Shoigu spoke to pro-Kremlin journalist Zarubin on Thursday as part of a Russian delegation where Russian President Vladimir Putin is on a two-day state visit to China. Former Defense Minister Shoigu is a member of the delegation visiting China. The delegation also includes Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, new Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Silou Anov and central bank chief Elvira Nabiullina.

Shoigu was replaced by Belousov following President Vladimir Putin’s government reshuffle last week. Being on the Security Council is considered a downgrade. Shoigu said on Thursday that the main focus of his new post would remain “special military operations.”

“It is difficult to single out any one (one task), but the main task remains a special military operation – the production of ammunition, weapons and military equipment. I think that is the main task for all of us, ” he commented.

— Holly Elliot

Estonia’s parliament passed a bill on Wednesday that would allow Russian assets frozen due to international sanctions to be used to compensate for Ukraine’s war losses.

Estonia’s Constitutional Council said in a statement that the country could play a pioneering role in establishing a legal framework for the use of such assets for reparations.

Under the Act, a foreign state (such as Ukraine) that has suffered harm substantiated under international law can bring a claim for compensation in Estonia.

The terms of the use of the assets as an “advance payment of damages” will then be agreed with the claiming State. The connection between the asset owner and the illegal conduct must be proven.

Hendrik Johannes Terras, Chairman of the Estonian Constitutional Council, said: “Russia is an aggressor, and the responsibility for compensating for the war damage it caused cannot be left to Ukraine and its allies. Russia is responsible for the damage caused and must also bear this responsibility. One responsibility.

“Estonia is proposing the establishment of a mechanism to establish the liability of individuals and companies that directly participated in or contributed to the aggression,” Truss added.

It comes after EU ambassadors struck a deal last week to use profits from Russia’s frozen assets to support Ukraine. Details have not been released and the law has yet to be approved by EU leaders.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that Washington has the authority to seize Russian assets in the United States to help rebuild Ukraine and plans to do so.

—Jenny Reed

Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with military commanders on Wednesday that Russia’s defense and security spending this year could account for 8.7% or more of its gross domestic product, state media RIA Novosti reported.

“This is a huge resource and we have an obligation to use it very effectively,” Putin said, according to a Google Translate quote published by the state news agency.

Putin said that despite the increase in spending, social obligations to citizens such as education and health care must also continue.

The Russian president said rising funding for defense was a key reason for appointing Andrei Belousov as the new defense minister.

Belousov was appointed earlier this week to replace former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who was subsequently appointed secretary of Russia’s Security Council.

——Sophie Kidlin

The United States will send an additional $2 billion worth of military funding to Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday, adding that a security deal between the United States and Ukraine may not be far away.

“We will provide an additional $2 billion in foreign military financing to Ukraine,” Blinken said in a joint statement. press conference With Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. He said the funds had been pooled into “a first-of-its-kind defense enterprise fund” designed to immediately provide weapons, strengthen Ukraine’s defense industrial base and help the country purchase military equipment from elsewhere.

“We are rushing munitions, armored vehicles, missiles, air defense systems to get them to the front lines,” Blinken said.

He said a security agreement between the United States and Ukraine was expected to be signed within weeks as the “heavy lifting” was completed.

——Sophie Kidlin

Ukrainian President Zelensky’s spokesman announced on social media that he was instructed on Wednesday to postpone all scheduled foreign visits for a few days.

Sergey Nikiforov said in a statement: “Vladimir Zelensky has given instructions to postpone all international events involving him scheduled for the next few days and to coordinate new dates. We thank understanding of partners. postal on Facebook.

Nikiforov said the announcement came as Zelensky was informed of the latest developments in the Kharkov region, where Russia has launched a new offensive in recent days.

Zelenskiy was due to travel to Spain and Portugal later this week.

——Sophie Kidlin

Russian troops have taken control of three more settlements in Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

Two of the settlements, Lukyantski and Hlyboke, are located in the Karkov region and another in the Zaporozhye region, the ministry said in several Google-translated documents. post exist telegraph.

In the Kharkov region, Russian troops “also penetrated deep into the enemy’s defenses” and resisted counterattacks on multiple occasions, the Defense Ministry said.

CNBC could not independently verify developments on the ground.

Fighting in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region has intensified in recent days after Moscow launched an offensive in the region earlier this month. Russia has since gained territory in the region and occupied several settlements.

——Sophie Kidlin