Opinion | How US belligerence is driving China and Russia closer together
- Biden has been proclaiming that his trip to Europe is aimed at promoting an ‘alternative to China’ while confronting the ‘harmful activities’ of Beijing and Moscow
- In response, China and Russia are strengthening ties and seeking to safeguard core interests
Despite low expectations for the meeting, both sides see it as a timely opportunity for an in-person exchange of intentions on the most pressing issues of shared interest.
Each side’s ambitions for the rendezvous seem different. Putin has been promoting the summit as an opportunity to improve heavily damaged relations, claiming that American attempts to “hold back” Russian development are Moscow’s only disagreement with the United States.
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China, Russia foreign ministers meet as countries stand ‘back to back’ amid rise in US tensions
In contrast to Russia’s approach, Biden seems to be opting for more hardline tactics, vowing to press Putin on human rights and stand with European allies against Russia, as well as responding to its “future harmful activities”.
