Moment Xi & Putin go in for two hugs in unprecedented embrace during talks

VLADIMIR Putin and Xi Jinping hugged not once, but twice, after a day spent strolling through a compound and sharing tea and snacks.

The touchy-feely embrace on Thursday came amid the despots’ love-in talks in Beijing, where the Russian tyrant is looking to enhance the economic relationship between his own country and China.

Chinese president Xi is typically reserved in his interactions with other leaders, in keeping with the tenets of China’s political culture.

But he appeared yesterday to have changed his tune, gripping Putin by the shoulders and hugging him twice.

Footage from China’s national television broadcaster CCTV showed the pair embracing in the evening air of the palatial Zhongnanhai leadership compound as the leaders’ aides and officials stood by.

The large group of men were seen clapping and smiling before Putin drove off into the night as Xi and his team waved goodbye.

Russia is increasingly reliant on its trade with China as it grapples with Western sanctions following Putin’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Yesterday’s unprecedented embrace came after the two leaders spent an informal evening together drinking tea and eating snacks.

Four members of Xi’s entourage sat side by side across from four members of Putin’s team, who each sat with a tall glass of what appeared to be sparkling wine in from of them.

Only hours earlier, Putin and Xi signed a lengthy statement which sharpened their opposition to a US-led world order.

They pledged their cooperation across a range of fields, from space and nuclear technologies to finance and manufacturing.

Xi said: “The China-Russia relationship is hard earned, and the two sides need to cherish and nurture it.”

He added that China and Russia agreed on the need for a “political solution” to resolving the war in Ukraine and expressed support for an “international peace conference recognised by Russia and Ukraine”.

After his day with Xi came to an end, Putin flew to the Russian-influenced city of Harbin in the northeast where he is to spend today – the final day of his two-day visit – promoting trade with China.

The two-day visit marks Putin’s first trip abroad since the beginning of his fifth presidential term.

He arrived in China at dawn yesterday and was greeted by Xi with full military honours at the Great Hall of the People.

The pair were seen strutting along a red carpet.

Putin and Xi declared a “no limits” relationship in 2022, just days before the Russian dictator launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The countries’ strategic partnership has only grown closer since the invasion – although Beijing rebuffs Western claims that it is aiding Moscow’s war effort.

Trade between the nations has boomed since February 2022, hitting $240billion last year, according to Chinese customs figures.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a Russia-China trade expo today, Putin hailed and promised to “strengthen” existing energy ties between the global powers.

He said: “Russia is ready and able to continuously power the Chinese economy, businesses, cities and towns with affordable and environmentally clean energy.

“As the world is on the threshold of the next technological revolution, we are determined to consistently deepen bilateral co-operation in the field of high technologies and innovations.”

Putin’s arrival in Harbin came hours after he praised Russian troops for advancing on “all fronts” on the battlefield in Ukraine.

The Russian tyrant launched a hellish new onslaught on Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine, a city home to 1.5 million people, only days ago.

Residents were last night urged to take cover as the city was hit with a missile barrage during what was the longest air raid of the war.

Western countries have been mounting pressure on China to cut off support for Russia’s economy.

Chinese exports to Russia did dip from a surge in March and April after the US vowed to go after financial institutions that were facilitating Moscow.

Following Xi and Putin’s meeting yesterday, US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said in reference to the West and Moscow that China could not “have its cake and eat it too”.

He said: “It can’t have it both ways and want to have (better) relationships with Europe and other countries while simultaneously continuing to fuel the biggest threat to European security in a long time.”

Despite Xi vocalising his support of Russia and Ukraine engaging in an “international peace conference”, there are no indications the warring countries are prepared to speak directly.

Ukraine believes such talks would only be used by Russia to buy time and make preparations for a new assault.