Putin and Xi Jinping began talks in Beijing. PHOTO

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping have begun talks in Beijing.

This was reported by Censor.NET, citing Russian media.

What is known?

At the start of the meeting, Putin called Xi a "dear friend".

No details regarding the meeting are available at this time.

As reported, Merz hopes that Xi Jinping will persuade Putin to end the war against Ukraine.

As a reminder, Putin’s 25th state visit to China will take place from 19 to 20 May. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has stated that Putin and Xi will discuss bilateral relations. The allies will also address international and regional issues of mutual interest.
This visit comes shortly after Donald Trump concluded the first US presidential visit to China in nearly a decade on 15 May. Trump and Xi discussed, in particular, the US and Israel’s war with Iran, as well as Russia’s war against Ukraine.