China and Russia criticize Israel as divisions with the West sharpen
- 6 months ago
China and Russia criticize Israel as divisions with the West sharpen
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are set to meet in Beijing this week in a visit expected to underscore their shared vision for a new international order no longer dominated by the United States and its democratic allies.
This meeting between the world’s two most powerful autocrats comes as geopolitical fault lines harden globally – first following Russia’s grinding invasion of Ukraine, launched just three weeks after the leaders’ last meeting in the Chinese capital in 2022 – and now as Israel’s war against Palestinian militant group Hamas threatens to spiral into a broader conflict that could shatter stability in the Middle East.
Both Beijing and Moscow have criticized Israel’s actions and called for a ceasefire, in the latest showing of the two powers’ efforts to step up their alternative leadership to that of the US, which affirms Israel’s on-going right to retaliate.
Putin and Xi will “most likely” discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during their meeting, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday, according to Russia state media.
The meeting between the two men comes as it was confirmed US President Joe Biden would travel to Israel on Wednesday. Biden is expected to give a high-profile show of support for Israel as it attempts to eliminate Hamas, while the US presses for ways to ease humanitarian suffering in Gaza and warns other regional players about becoming further engaged in the conflict.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are set to meet in Beijing this week in a visit expected to underscore their shared vision for a new international order no longer dominated by the United States and its democratic allies.
This meeting between the world’s two most powerful autocrats comes as geopolitical fault lines harden globally – first following Russia’s grinding invasion of Ukraine, launched just three weeks after the leaders’ last meeting in the Chinese capital in 2022 – and now as Israel’s war against Palestinian militant group Hamas threatens to spiral into a broader conflict that could shatter stability in the Middle East.
Both Beijing and Moscow have criticized Israel’s actions and called for a ceasefire, in the latest showing of the two powers’ efforts to step up their alternative leadership to that of the US, which affirms Israel’s on-going right to retaliate.
Putin and Xi will “most likely” discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during their meeting, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday, according to Russia state media.
The meeting between the two men comes as it was confirmed US President Joe Biden would travel to Israel on Wednesday. Biden is expected to give a high-profile show of support for Israel as it attempts to eliminate Hamas, while the US presses for ways to ease humanitarian suffering in Gaza and warns other regional players about becoming further engaged in the conflict.