On September 5, host Valerii Klych and Artur Kharitonov, President of the Liberal Democratic League of Ukraine, discussed the outcomes of Vladimir Putin's visit to China. The talk began with a comment from Donald Trump on the rapprochement between Russia and India with China. However, experts emphasized that India maintains a strategic partnership with the US and Japan, despite its participation in regional summits and some temporary cooling of its relations with Washington.
Main attention was paid to the trilateral meeting of the leaders of China, Russia, and North Korea. According to Kharitonov, this meeting demonstrated the formation of a new geopolitical bloc. Russia, he noted, is becoming ever more integrated into China's economic and political systems. Putin reportedly received authorization from Xi Jinping to continue the war against Ukraine, along with promises of support for the Russian economy and military sector.
Numerous bilateral agreements were signed, aimed at increasing cooperation in energy, technology, and finance. Payment restrictions between the two countries were removed, and visa procedures simplified, fostering deeper Russian integration into the Chinese economy and enabling Moscow to circumvent external sanctions.
Discussing the prospects for peace talks on Ukraine, the experts noted that China's "green light" for Russia to continue hostilities effectively rules out any near-term concessions from Russia. However, European and American leaders still have levers of influence via economic pressure on China and continued support for Ukraine.
The discussion also addressed the potential escalation of geopolitical tensions, the risk of a new global crisis, and trilateral cooperation between Russia, China, and North Korea. Despite certain internal differences, Europe and the US remain united in their support for Ukraine and opposition to authoritarian states. The experts emphasized the importance of dialogue and international cooperation to contain conflict escalation, and the need to develop new defense technologies in response to emerging challenges.
