10 Years, 40 Meetings: What to Expect From Xi Jinping’s Visit to Russia for Talks With Putin

Chinese President Xi Jinping will embark on a three-day state visit to Russia on Monday at the invitation of his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

What issues are the two leaders expected to discuss? What’s the significance of the trip, and what message does he plan to convey to Moscow and the rest of the world?

Click here for answers

⚡️ 🇮🇳 All mobile internet services, all SMS services (except banking & mobile recharge) & all dongle services provided on mobile networks, except the voice call, have been suspended in Punjab till March 21

This comes after on Sunday, videos emerged on social media showing a group of supporters of the Khalistan separatist movement protesting outside the Indian mission in London 🇬🇧 in the wake of police action against fugitive Amritpal Singh.

#USInvasionofIraq20🇮🇶 The US invasion of Iraq was marked by mass protests around the world, with the biggest rallies of February 15 and 16, 2003 being attended by six to ten million people worldwide. The outcry, however, did not break the Pentagon’s war plans.

Sputnik sat down with two prominent American anti-war activists to discuss the rise and the eventual decline of the US grassroots peace movement during the Iraq War.

Michael Žmolek teaches world history, international studies, and development studies at the University of Iowa. In the early 2000s he was among those actively opposing the bombing, sanctions and military occupation of Iraq. Žmolek was one of the organizers of the February 15, 2003 protest in New York.

He said that many mainstream outlets have been bringing grist to Pentagon’s mill, giving much less airtime to peace activists and mostly voicing talking points of the Bush administration:

💬 “It's hard to get a strong, consistent, pro-peace anti-war position when you've got a lot of groups that, say, are working with one or the other parties, or are much larger than most of the other groups. Nobody's really clear what their agenda is, and yet they're organizing the rallies. A lot of people show up for rallies with no idea who the organizers were. It's a bit like herding cats.”

Click here to learn more about the rise and fall of the US anti-war movement

❗️Latest statements from Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service on the ongoing conflict in Syria:

▪️The US is planning to hand over dozens of four-wheel drive pickup trucks with heavy machine guns, as well as Igla MANPADS, TOW and NLAW anti-tank missiles, to Islamist groups in Syria;

▪️Representatives of US Сentral Сommand take part in the planning of the most important operations against Syrian government;

▪️Washington's close engagement with Islamic terrorists is a manifestation of state terrorism;

▪️The US continues to use Islamist groups under its control in Syria to undermine the positions of the legitimate government of this country.

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🇨🇳🇷🇺 Xi Jinping’s plane is already over Russia’s Kirov Region and will soon land in Moscow, Flightradar data shows.

More than 10,000 Flightradar users are tracking a Chinese plane believed to be the one flying to Moscow with the Chinese president on board. This aircraft now ranks number one in the world’s topmost tracked flights.

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Sweden Lacks 'Plan B' for NATO Bid as Finland Gears Up to Join First

Sweden's already troubled NATO talks were complicated further at the start of 2023 by a string of high-profile provocations, which include Turkish President Recep Erdogan hanged in effigy in Stockholm, a Quran-burning, ostensibly intended as a "lesson in free speech" for Turkiye, and, lastly, a cartoon contest held by a Swedish newspaper specifically to mock the Turkish leader.

Billstrom admitted that his country "has a longer way to go than Finland," yet said he was "completely convinced" that Sweden would join the US-led military bloc during the alliance’s summit in Vilnius, Lithuania in July.

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'The Immortal': Narendra Modi Popular Among Chinese Netizens

🇮🇳🇨🇳 On the Chinese internet, the Indian prime minister is often referred to as "Modi Laoxian", which translates as "Modi the Immortal" — a rare compliment to be bestowed on an international leader.

💭 "Laoxian is an elderly immortal with unusual abilities. The nickname implies that Chinese netizens regard Modi as uniquely gifted," foreign media has reported.

Referring to India's relations with other nations, Chinese users say that, whether it is 🇷🇺Russia, 🇺🇸 the US or the nations of the Global South, India can maintain friendly ties with all of them, which Chinese netizens find "extremely admirable".

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❗️Chinese Foreign Ministry on Putin's arrest warrant: ICC must avoid politicization and double standards and uphold international law in good faith

🇨🇳🇷🇺 The number of Flightradar users who are tracking a Chinese plane believed to be the one flying to Moscow with the president of China on board has increased to over 80,000.

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🇨🇳🇷🇺 Sputnik correspondent has shared a video of the Chinese delegation’ plane landing at the Vnukovo airport

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🎬 Russia, Africa Bolster Parliamentary Ties as Moscow Hosts Key Conference Plenary Session

Sputnik comes to you live from the 'Russia-Africa in a Multipolar World' plenary session within the framework of the Second International Parliamentary Conference that kicked off in the heart of Moscow at the House of Unions.

A total of 200 African parliamentarians, as well as experts from Russia and Africa are taking part in the conference, which started on Sunday.

👉 WATCH LIVE

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🇷🇺🇨🇳 Journalists waiting for Xi Jinping’s arrival at Vnukovo airport

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🇷🇺🇨🇳 Sputnik correspondent reports from the Vnukovo airport

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❗️Latest statements by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov:

▪️The issue of the Ukraine crisis will be touched on by Putin and Xi during the meeting;

▪️Putin will explain to Xi Russia's position on the situation in Ukraine;

▪️On prospects of peace talks: West does not currently allow the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine, this is being openly and officially discussed in the United States;

▪️Moscow considers the move by the ICC to issue an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin to be hostile, but takes it easy,

▪️The Russia-Africa summit is being prepared, it is scheduled for July.

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❗️Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Moscow. Below is an agenda from the Kremlin of the forthcoming talks between the leaders of Russia and China:

▪️Presidents Xi and Putin will hold a face-to-face conversation over an informal lunch on 20 March, followed by negotiations on 21 March;

▪️This is Xi's first foreign trip since being re-elected;

▪️Moscow and Beijing are satisfied with the state of bilateral relations, this is a strategic interaction of partners;

▪️Personal contacts between Putin and Xi are of trusting nature – in total, the leaders have met about 40 times;

▪️Both parties will discuss the conflict in Ukraine, as well as will issues of military and technical cooperation.

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🇷🇺🇨🇳 Sputnik correspondent reports from the airport as Xi's plane has just landed

🇷🇺🇨🇳 President Xi descends from his plane at the Vnukovo airport, Sputnik correspondent reports

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