Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a virtual meeting Wednesday in which they reaffirmed their close partnership and pledged to expand high-level exchanges, trade, and diplomatic cooperation.
The call took place just hours after Xi spoke by phone with President Donald Trump and on the eve of the expiration of the New START nuclear arms treaty between the United States and Russia.
The Obama-era New START agreement was designed to limit and monitor nuclear weapons development. Russia effectively abandoned the treaty in 2023 following its invasion of Ukraine, with Putin announcing that Moscow would no longer comply. Despite that declaration, the Kremlin later said it was “disappointed” that the treaty was not extended or replaced.
Trump has refused to sign a new bilateral nuclear agreement with Russia, arguing that China must be included in any future arms control framework because of Beijing’s rapidly expanding nuclear arsenal.
The Chinese Communist Party has consistently rejected calls to participate in trilateral nuclear talks, while Russia has largely avoided addressing the issue directly.
According to a readout from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, most of Xi and Putin’s discussion focused on strengthening bilateral relations rather than nuclear weapons policy.
The meeting, held shortly before the Lunar New Year, follows an annual tradition of high-level talks between Beijing and Moscow.
“President Xi expressed his readiness to work with President Putin to draw a new blueprint for China-Russia relations,” the ministry said.
Xi stated that China would “expand high-standard opening up” and share development opportunities with Russia. He also called for closer coordination, increased cooperation, and expanded diplomatic engagement.
Xi added that China and Russia should “actively shoulder responsibilities as major countries” and ensure their partnership continues “along the right track.”
He also claimed that 2026 had seen increasing global turbulence, an apparent reference to the recent arrest and extradition of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, a longtime ally of both Beijing and Moscow.
Xi argued that China and Russia, as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, must jointly uphold international law and global stability.
The Chinese government’s statement did not mention the New START Treaty.
However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the issue was discussed.
“This issue was raised with regard to its negative consequences for the international system of nuclear arms control,” Peskov said, according to Russia’s state news agency TASS.
Peskov said Russia views the treaty’s expiration “negatively” and expressed “regret,” but did not clarify whether Putin discussed involving China in future agreements.
New START was originally scheduled to expire in February 2021. In January of that year, former President Joe Biden approved a five-year extension without requiring China’s participation.
Trump had previously opposed extending the treaty, citing Russian violations and the absence of China.
“It’s a one-sided deal,” Trump said in 2017. “It gave them things that we should have never allowed.”
In 2019, Trump said he was pursuing a three-way nuclear agreement that would include China.
“We discussed the possibility of a three-way deal,” he said at the time. “China would like to be a part of that deal.”
Beijing has repeatedly denied any interest in joining such talks.
Still, China’s state-run newspaper Global Times claimed Thursday that Trump’s desire to involve China demonstrates Beijing’s growing global influence.
“All parties including the U.S. and Russia have realized that constructive solutions are inseparable from China’s participation,” the outlet said, citing a regime-approved analyst.
Russia formally suspended compliance with New START in February 2023, citing Western military support for Ukraine.
Peskov did not address the apparent contradiction between Putin’s decision to disregard the treaty and Moscow’s later expressions of regret over its expiration.
Analysts say the Xi-Putin call underscores the deepening strategic alignment between China and Russia as both countries face increasing pressure from the United States and its allies.
With New START now expired and no replacement agreement in place, experts warn that global nuclear arms control efforts are entering one of their most uncertain periods in decades.
