China’s Xi Jinping holds talks with Russia’s Foreign Minister Lavrov in Beijing

China’s President Xi Jinping met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Beijing on Wednesday (April 15), as Lavrov paid a two‑day visit to China.

Lavrov met Xi at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People a day after holding talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the Ukraine crisis, the U.S.-Iran conflict and preparations for a meeting between Chinese and Russian leaders later this year.

China and Russia declared a “no limits” partnership in February 2022 when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Beijing, days before he sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine. Putin has at times described China as an “ally.”

-Wang Shubing; Alessandro Diviggiano/Reuters