Beijing, May 7 (PTI) Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday left for Moscow to attend the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II and hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on major international and regional issues.

This will be Xi's first visit to Moscow after Donald Trump took charge of the US Presidency and months later mounted a tariff war against China. He had last visited Russia in October 2024 for the BRICS Summit.

President Xi will pay a State Visit to Russia from May 7 to 10 and attend the 80th anniversary of the victory in the 'Great Patriotic War' in Moscow on May 9, a spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement earlier.

May 9 is celebrated as Victory Day in Russia.

Putin and Xi struck personal friendship in 2013, forging close political and military ties, and posing a major challenge to the global dominance of the US and the European Union.

The two leaders will have “strategic communication” on China-Russia relations under new circumstances and on a series of major international and regional issues, an official said in an apparent reference to the pressure being mounted by Trump on Putin to end the Ukraine war and his tariff war against China.

In Moscow, the Kremlin said that the two leaders would sign several bilateral inter-governmental and inter-departmental documents during Xi's official visit.

“During the talks, the main issues of further development of relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction, as well as current issues of the international and regional agenda will be discussed,” it said.

Leaders of 20 countries, including Brazil, Venezuela and Vietnam, are expected in Moscow on May 9 for the Victory Day celebrations.

Russia had also invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for it but he decided to skip it due to the situation arising after the terror attack at Pahalgam on April 22.

China has also sent a contingent of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to participate in the Victory Day parade in Moscow.

“We believe the important common understandings between the two presidents will further deepen political mutual trust between the two countries, add new substance to strategic coordination, promote practical cooperation in various fields, bring more benefits to the two peoples, and contribute more stability and positive energy to the international community,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry statement about Xi's Russia visit said earlier.

“The two countries will further strengthen their close coordination in the UN, SCO, BRICS and other multilateral platforms, rally the Global South, shape global governance in the right direction, unequivocally oppose acts of unilateralism and bullying, and jointly promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation,” it said.

Putin and Xi have met several times and established close trade ties under which China has emerged as the largest buyer of Russian oil and gas. China also maintained strategic ambiguity over Russia's invasion of Ukraine and denied allegations that it supplied arms to Moscow.

While Putin has been under pressure from Trump to end the Ukraine war, the US President also imposed an unprecedented 145 per cent tariff against Chinese exports to America, which according to the White House, amounted to 245 per cent in some cases.

China retaliated with 125 per cent against the US exports. Both countries are poised to hold talks to resolve Trump's reciprocal tariffs soon. PTI KJV NPK NPK

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Xi Jinping leaves for Moscow for talks with Putin, attend V-day celebrations

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