Chinese leaders, Russian President Putin and Russian President Putin, presented the country as guardians on Thursday at a meeting in Moscow the day before the celebration, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
Leaders made public remarks ahead of a speech in the Kremlin, part of another state visit that Moscow organized for his most important partner, XI. Chinese leaders will also be attending the military parade in Red Square on Friday.
Putin and XI have to deal with President Trump's unpredictability. This is the Russian president and Chinese leadership over the Chinese leaders of the Ukraine and bruise trade war. Each sought to present their nation as the power of an alternative world, aiming to bring about what they call a more equal multipolar world.
Trump had adopted some of the same nationalist grievance politics and disinformation strategies that Putin and XI used to solidify their strength at home, but since returning to the White House he has not been able to reach a deal with either leader. Discussions with Moscow over the war in Ukraine have not curbed the fighting, and US authorities are scheduled to launch trade negotiations in Switzerland with Chinese counterparts this week.
In Moscow, the summit was held as Putin was set up to welcome the Kremlin expects to become more than 25 world leaders in the Red Square celebration. Guests include true “who” that the presidents of Venezuela, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea and Belarus will be present.
However, for Moscow, there is no leader more important than Xi.
Russia's segregation from the west against a full-scale invasion of Ukraine dramatically increased Moscow's dependence on Beijing. China has supported Putin's war efforts by purchasing Russian oil, supplying double-use components to Russian equipment, and replacing the Western brands that have started with Chinese consumer goods. However, Beijing has not stopped explicit military intervention or support.
In his opening remarks at the Kremlin, Xi described today's relationship with China and Russia as “more gentler, more confident, more stable and more resilient.”
He cast two leaders as defenders of a fair and just world order. And he evoked the sacrifices of the nation during today's World War II as a symbol of their strength to oppose “unilateral bullying and bullying by a powerful nation.”
The Soviet Union lost around 27 million people during the war, making the memory of the conflict a memory of the most powerful and emotional forces in Russian life.
Putin manipulated his memories to activate the army and falsely accused Jewish Ukrainian President Volodimia Zelensky of reviving Nazism. It was said that the Russian troops fighting in Ukraine must make the sacrifices as their ancestors did during World War II.
“The victory over fascism achieved at the expense of enormous sacrifices is of timeless importance,” Putin told Xi ahead of their speech.
Putin said Russia and China are “keeping up to historical truths” and “protect memories of events during the war era.” Both countries said they “oppose the modern symptoms of neo-Nazism and militarism.”
The Soviet Union's victory celebration against Nazi Germany comes more than three years after Putin began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and sorted Russian society with the oppression, militarism and control of official narratives that are invisible since the time of the Soviet Union.
Zixu Wang Contributed research from Hong Kong.
