During a press briefing on Friday, the White House downplayed the significance of the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite images circulating of the two leaders sharing a hug during Putin’s visit to Beijing.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby responded to questions about the embrace by saying, “Exchanging hugs? Well, that’s nice for them,” adding that he preferred not to comment on personal displays of affection.
Kirby noted the United States’ ongoing concerns about Chinese companies supplying technology to Russia for its actions in Ukraine. However, he stated that Putin’s visit did not appear to yield any significant advancements in this area, and there was no indication of immediate assistance from China to Moscow’s armed forces.
While acknowledging the watchfulness of the United States regarding the China-Russia relationship, Kirby emphasized that there were no unexpected developments arising from the meeting. However, he underscored that the White House remains attentive to the trajectory of the relationship between the two nations.
Putin’s visit to China marked his first trip abroad since his re-election in March, with both leaders framing their nations’ ties as stabilizing forces in an uncertain global landscape.
