China has announced its willingness to step up military cooperation with Russia, without direct reference to the war in Ukraine

Following Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Moscow, China said it wants to expand pragmatic cooperation with the Russian military. This cooperation, which has intensified over the past decade, was accelerated after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Chinese defense ministry stressed that bilateral relations are at a high level and that the Chinese military is willing to work together to strengthen strategic trust and maintain global stability. Although China presents itself as a neutral mediator in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, it is accused by the West of supporting Russia.