China, Russia Deepen Ties At Military Parade In Moscow

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

MOSCOW/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – China’s and Russia’s leaders deepened their partnership in Moscow where a massive military parade recalled the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany.

Ahead of the event showing Russia’s army and weapons, China’s President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin warned the West that their nations’ partnership had “no limit.”

The two sides stressed the importance of maintaining the “correct view” of World War II history amid Moscow’s frustration that its sacrifices are downplayed in Western countries.

In remarks published during Xi’s visit to Moscow to commemorate the end of World War II, Xi and Putin said, “certain countries … are attempting to tamper with the results of the victory of the Second World War.”

Xi’s decision to attend the annual May 9 “Victory Day” in Moscow marked his 11th visit to Russia since becoming president in 2013.

On Thursday, Xi and Putin held nearly four hours of talks in which both leaders described the other as “a close friend.”

NATO EASTWARD EXPANSION

Putin also announced plans to visit China in the autumn to commemorate Japan’s defeat in the Second World War.”

The Xi-Putin statement went further than previous ones in directly condemning the United States. “The United States and its allies are trying to promote NATO’s eastward expansion into the Asia-Pacific region,” they remarked about Washington’s role in the military alliance.

The U.S. and its allies “build ‘small circles’ in the Asia-Pacific region, and win over countries in the region to promote their ‘Indo-Pacific strategy’, undermining regional peace, stability and prosperity,” the statement stressed.

Beijing agrees with Moscow’s argument that NATO expansion in Europe was and is a threat to Russia’s security.

The statement also said “unilateral coercive measures, “including economic sanctions that bypass the United Nations Security Council, violate the U.N. Charter and other international laws, and undermine international security interests”.

Backed by China and several other leaders, Putin tried to project an image of being firmly in control despite Russia’s devastating invasion of Ukraine and Kyiv’s threat to attack the military parade.

NORTH KOREAN GENERALS

In addition to China’s president, Putin was joined by North Korean generals, Brazilian leaders, and even Slovakia, the only European Union and NATO member state to send its prime minister.

Yet the parade, which included drones used in Ukraine being trucked past the stands to the tune of a military band, highlighted a geopolitical moment for Putin: Commentators also said Moscow’s global fortunes have been rising due to the Russia-friendly approach taken by U.S. President Donald J. Trump.

Despite Trump’s apparent openness to dealing with Putin, no senior American officials were known to be in attendance at the Victory Day parade.

Instead, Putin was joined by more than 20 foreign leaders from countries that largely position themselves as neutral or hostile to the West.

Kyiv had warned that it might attack the parade in Moscow after already striking the capital with drones, complicating Xi’s visit.

However, nuclear-armed Russia warned Ukraine of serious consequences if that were to happen.

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