international

In the statements they made to journalists, the Russian president said that he has familiarized himself "with the plan for settling the crisis in Ukraine, which was proposed by Beijing."

"We have carefully studied your proposals for solving the acute crisis in Ukraine. We are always open to the negotiation process. We will certainly discuss all these matters, including your initiatives, which we respect unreservedly. I appreciate your fair stance on international issues," Putin said.

He also congratulated Xi on his re-election to the highest office of the Chinese state for the third time, which shows that "the Chinese people have appreciated Xi Jinping's work over the past decade."

“In recent years, China has made a colossal leap in its development. All over the world, this causes great interest and we envy you for what you have achieved," said the Russian president, adding that Moscow and Beijing have many common tasks and goals. "In general, our interaction on the international stage certainly contributes to strengthening the fundamental principles of world order and multipolarity," Putin added.

For his part, Xi Jinping called Vladimir Putin his friend, saying: “Dear President Putin, I always call you my dear friend. I am very happy, upon your invitation, to visit Russia again on a state visit, especially right after my next re-election as the president of China. And I chose Russia as the first country to visit." He also stood on the "prosperity" of Russia, thanks to Putin's actions.

"In the framework of the development of the China-Russia international strategic partnership, we must, on the one hand, achieve the goal of ensuring justice and equality in the world and, on the other hand, in the process, achieve the development and prosperity of our countries" , the Chinese leader added.

Closure

After their statements, the presidents of Russia and China began private talks, while their official meeting will take place in the Kremlin, tomorrow at 15:00 (local time, 14:00 Greek time).

This is the Chinese leader's first international trip since his re-election and will last until March 22.

Xi Jinping, as head of state, has visited Russia eight times since 2013, more than any other country. In total, over the past ten years, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping have met more than 40 times in various forms.

A few hours yesterday, before the start of Chinese President Xi Jinping's official visit to Russia, the country reacted to the issuance of an international arrest warrant against Vladimir Putin.

In particular, China calls on the International Criminal Court to avoid "double standards".

"The International Criminal Court must adopt an objective and impartial stance, respecting the immunity enjoyed by heads of state under international law," Chinese diplomatic spokesman Wang Wenbin said in response to a question on the matter.

This institution should "avoid politicization and the policy of two standards and two standards", he also underlined, referring to other military interventions that have not led to the issuance of an arrest warrant against a head of state.

Asked about Xi's official visit to Russia, Wang Wenbin noted that "the two sides (...) will act for true multilateralism, promote democracy in international relations, build a multipolar world, improve global governance and will contribute to the development and progress of the world".

"China will maintain its objective and fair position on the Ukrainian crisis and play a constructive role in promoting peace talks," he added.

Also asked about US sources stating that Chinese munitions were used in Ukraine and that they were dropped by Russia, Wang Wenbin stressed that the US, not the Chinese, is supplying weapons to the battlefield in Ukraine.

China has not publicly condemned the Russian invasion and criticizes the US for arms deliveries to Ukraine, as well as NATO for not taking into account Russian security concerns.

Beijing has also called for dialogue and demands respect for the territorial integrity of all states, therefore including Ukraine.