Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow on May 8 and met with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, the Russian state news agency Ria Novosti reported.
Xi is one of 27 leaders expected to attend the Victory Day parade in the Russian capital on May 9. Other expected guests include Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, though Fico's attendance remains uncertain due to illness.
The Kremlin had previously announced that during Xi's visit, Beijing and Moscow would "sign a number of bilateral intergovernmental and interdepartmental documents" to strengthen Chinese-Russian relations.
During his meeting with the Chinese leader, Putin expressed his willingness to pay another official visit to China and emphasized that the governments of both countries are working to fully develop their bilateral relations.
Xi said he was pleased to take part in the Victory Day celebrations and that "China and Russia are ready to defend the truth about the history of World War II."
The Chinese president's visit to Russia is expected to last until May 10. During this time, the Chinese and Russian sides will hold talks in various formats, both between the two leaders and between delegations, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
China has strengthened ties with Russia since the Kremlin launched its full-scale war against Ukraine, becoming Moscow's leading supplier of dual-use goods that bolster Russia's defense industry.
While China has positioned itself as a potential mediator in the war, it has simultaneously criticized the U.S. and its allies for "exacerbating" the war by supplying weapons to Ukraine. NATO has labeled China a "decisive enabler" of Russia's aggression.
President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on April 17 that China is supplying weapons to the Russian military. His statement marks Kyiv's first confirmation that Beijing supports Russia's war effort by providing weapons.
Kyiv also presented Beijing with evidence that Chinese citizens and companies have participated in Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry reported on April 22.
Natalia Yermak
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