Kyiv: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping vowed Friday to deepen their bilateral cooperation against the backdrop of Moscow’s 10-month war in Ukraine. In the recent past Ukraine has weathered relentless night of drone and rocket attacks by Russia.

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping made no direct mention of Ukraine in their opening remarks by videoconference. The initial remarks were broadcast publicly, before the two went into private talks. Both Putin and Xi hailed strengthening ties between Moscow and Beijing amid what they called ‘geopolitical tensions’ and a ‘difficult international situation’, with Putin expressing his wish to extend military collaboration.

“In the face of increasing geopolitical tensions, the significance of the Russian-Chinese strategic partnership is growing as a stabilizing factor,” said Putin, whose invasion of a neighbouring country has been stymied by fierce Ukrainian resistance and Western military aid.

The Russian leader said he expected Xi to visit Moscow in the spring. Such a trip ‘will demonstrate to the whole world the strength of the Russian-Chinese ties on key issues, will become the main political event of the year in bilateral relations’, Putin asserted.

Putin said military cooperation has a ‘special place’ in the relationship between their countries. He said the Kremlin aimed to ‘strengthen the cooperation between the armed forces of Russia and China’.

Xi, in turn, said through a translator that ‘in the face of a difficult and far from straightforward international situation’, Beijing was ready ‘to increase strategic cooperation with Russia, provide each other with development opportunities, be global partners for the benefit of the peoples of our countries and in the interests of stability around the world’.

In its report on the meeting, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV described the events in Ukraine as a ‘crisis’.

The term marked a departure from China’s usual references to the ‘Ukraine situation’, and the change may reflect growing Chinese concern about the direction of the conflict.

“Xi Jinping emphasised that China has noted that Russia has never refused to resolve the conflict through diplomatic negotiations, for which it (China) expresses its appreciation,” CCTV reported.

Ties between Moscow and Beijing have grown stronger since Putin sent his troops February 24 into Ukraine.

Just last week, Moscow and Beijing held joint naval drills in the East China Sea. Putin and Xi also spoke by video link in December.

China has promised a ‘no limits’ friendship with Russia. It has pointedly refused to criticise Moscow’s actions in Ukraine, blaming the US and NATO for provoking the Kremlin. China has also blasted the punishing sanctions imposed on Russia.

Russia, in turn, has strongly backed China amid the tensions with the US over Taiwan. Russia and China are both facing domestic difficulties. Putin is trying to maintain domestic support for a war that has lasted longer than anticipated, while a surge in Covid-19 cases has overwhelmed hospitals in China.