The talks between the two leaders in Beijing concluded with a sweeping partnership declaration and yet another silence on the Power of Siberia — 2 pipeline. Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on May 20, exactly one week after Donald Trump had left the Chinese capital. The meeting with Xi Jinping resulted in the signing of around 40 documents: a joint declaration “on the formation of a multipolar world and international relations of a new type,” as well as an extensive statement “on further strengthening the comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction.” The document covers everything from nuclear security to the protection of Amur tigers. However, on the issue that matters most to Moscow, the Power of Siberia — 2 pipeline, the negotiations once again reached a deadlock.
The Power of Siberia — 2 pipeline
Moscow had hoped to reach an agreement on the implementation of the Power of Siberia — 2 project, which could potentially allow up to 50 billion cubic meters of gas per year to be delivered to China. The negotiations, however, did not yield the results Russia had anticipated. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the “basic parameters of understanding” regarding the route and construction process had been agreed upon, but no specific timeline for the start of work was given. The price of Russian gas remains unresolved. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said the parties are “finalizing the contract documentation.”
China is in no hurry to sign the contract and has repeatedly postponed its final decision following personal meetings between Putin and Xi in 2024 and 2025. The project has been under discussion for eleven years, yet Russia and China still cannot agree on the fundamental terms, including the price of gas.
Ukraine, Taiwan and the Golden Dome
In their joint statement, Russia and China called for “the complete elimination of the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis” — a phrase Putin consistently uses when speaking about the war against Ukraine that began in 2022. Beijing’s position on the conflict is described in the document as “objective and unbiased.”
Moscow reaffirmed its stance on Taiwan: Russia opposes its independence “in any form.” Putin expressed support for China’s actions “to defend its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as to reunify the country.”
Another item on the agenda was the American missile defense project known as the Golden Dome — a multilayered system designed to provide complete protection of US territory, including Alaska and Hawaii. Trump unveiled the project in May 2025. Russia and China called it a “threat to strategic stability.”