Putin: Russia and China to unveil new energy agreements soon
President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia and China will “soon delight the global energy sector with new agreements.” Speaking in St. Petersburg, he rejected the idea that Moscow shifted toward Asia only recently, noting the 2001 treaty and nearly $250 billion in bilateral trade.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Moscow and Beijing “will soon delight the global energy sector with new agreements.” Speaking at a meeting with global news agency representatives in St. Petersburg, Putin rejected suggestions that Russia had shifted its strategic focus toward Asia only in recent years, arguing that the foundations of the partnership with China were laid long before the war in Ukraine.
Strategic partnership and trade
Putin noted that the treaty underpinning Russia‑China relations was signed in 2001, and the two countries have steadily expanded cooperation over the past quarter‑century, with bilateral trade now reaching nearly $250 billion. “We are natural allies and partners. We are neighbours. Neighbours are not chosen,” he said. He described China as a rapidly growing global economic and political power, with expanding cooperation in AI, information technology, biology, and genetics. Military and military‑technical cooperation continues along traditional lines and is not linked to current international crises.
Energy and relations with India
Putin emphasised that energy remains a key area of cooperation and indicated that further announcements could be made soon. On energy cooperation with India, he said ties are developing successfully despite US pressure on New Delhi. “Everyone has long understood that putting pressure on Prime Minister Modi, who leads a country with a population of 1.5 billion, is pointless,” he said.
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