China and Russia reaffirm their close ties as Moscow presses its offensive in Ukraine

By EMILY WANG FUJIYAMA and HUIZHONG WU
Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping reaffirmed their “no-limits” partnership that has deepened as both countries face rising tensions with the West, and they criticized U.S. military alliances in Asia and the Pacific region. At their summit Thursday, Putin thanked China’s proposals for ending the war in Ukraine, which have been rejected by Ukraine and its Western supporters as largely following the Kremlin’s line. Putin’s two-day visit to one of his strongest allies and trading partners comes as Russian forces are pressing an offensive in northeastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv region in the most significant border incursion since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.