Vladimir Putin

Global spending on defence is rising at the expense of social needs. The ‘peace dividend’ years are over.

As more countries join bloc, President Xi Jinping is urging members to take green, low-carbon route and practise ‘true multilateralism’.

The West’s proxy war is floundering while its moral case against Russia has self-destructed over its full complicity in Israel’s actions.

Championing low government regulation, free global trade and the need to face down autocrats worldwide will be an uphill struggle.

Despite warm greetings and ‘no limits’ partnerships, leaders of the three powerful countries must navigate constant friction in their triangular dynamic.

By missing summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Indian PM has wasted chance to address strained relations between two countries.

If the odds were low that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would go nuclear, Putin’s recent statement indicates Moscow’s stance is changing.

Following summit between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, the two sides vow to take on Washington’s ‘dual containment’ policy aimed at Russia and China. But a quasi-alliance with Moscow is hardly the recipe for Beijing to make more friends.

Beijing red-carpet welcome by President Xi Jinping for his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, reflects how nations have been drawn together by actions of others.

Presidents Xi Jinping and Emmanuel Macron not only aired their bilateral differences, but also discussed terms of engagement for challenging days ahead.

Talks on trade imbalances and Ukraine war await Chinese president as he first heads to France in pursuit of ‘pragmatic’ European policy, then Serbia and Hungary, before returning to host Vladimir Putin.

Putin’s re-election is positive for the increasingly close alliance with Beijing, but China’s diplomatic efforts require striking a fine balance ahead of Xi’s proposed trip to Europe.