They spent about 4 1/2 hours over a seven-course dinner, which included such offerings as a Pacific seafood platter, a sterlet - or small sturgeon - soup, quail and mushroom pancakes and venison roasted in cherry sauce. Xi responded in kind, saying he was sure that Putin would receive strong support in the presidential election next year, even though the Russian leader hasn't yet declared his intention to run. While Putin didn't break protocol and pamper Xi with a surprise appearance at the airport, the Russian leader showered his Chinese guest with praise when he greeted him inside the Kremlin before a private dinner.įacing the Chinese leader across a small table after they shook hands, Putin hailed what he described as China's 'colossal leap forward“ under Xi's leadership, adding that he feels a bit of envy - a remark that drew a thin smile from Xi. He then walked past a line of honorary guards accompanied by Chernyshenko.

He also addressed a parliamentary conference involving lawmakers from African nations.īack at the airport, Xi listened as a Russian military band played the national anthems of China and Russia. Putin began his day by making an appearance at a meeting of the Interior Ministry’s top officials. The Russian president, meanwhile, was far away in central Moscow busy with other commitments before his high-stakes dinner with Xi in the evening. Putin sent Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko to the Russian capital's Vnukovo airport to meet Xi after he stepped off his Boeing 747. Many observers argue that the fighting in Ukraine has made Russia increasingly dependent on China for support as the country becomes isolated from the West.īut Putin didn’t deviate from the script, and the start of Xi's trip was like that of any visiting leader. Russia's standard protocol for visiting dignitaries calls for them to be welcomed at the airport by a lower-ranking Cabinet official. MOSCOW – President Vladimir Putin wasn't waiting at the end of the red carpet to greet Chinese leader Xi Jinping upon his arrival in Russia on Monday for a high-profile visit.

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