FEAST LIKE THE CZAR: Xi arrived at Moscow on Monday, and headed to the Kremlin for a (4.5-hour) courtesy call with Putin, before they sat down for a six-course state dinner. The menu included quail pancakes, sturgeon soup, Siberian salmon (or deer in cherry sauce for main course) — plus wine from the vineyard behind Putin’s Black Sea palace. DOWN TO BUSINESS: This time, Putin and Xi sat down for six hours. Top of the agenda was Ukraine. The two men signed a joint declaration on resolving what they call the “Ukraine crisis.” There’s no mention of troop withdrawal, nor did Xi question Russia’s war, of course. (EMPTY?) TALKS: Xi and Putin said they both back the idea of peace talks. “Russia reiterates efforts to resume peace talks as soon as possible, which is praised by the Chinese side,” said the statement, carried by China’s Xinhua news agency. “Russia welcomes China’s willingness to play a constructive role in resolving the Ukraine crisis through political and diplomatic means.” NATO-BASHING: “Both sides oppose any countries or national blocs jeopardizing the reasonable security interests of other nations in the quest for military, political or other forms of superiorities,” the Putin-Xi statement adds. XI’S BEST WISHES: The Chinese leader also briefly turned election pundit. In an eyebrow-raising move, he expressed confidence that Russians would back Putin in next year’s presidential election. “I know that next year there will be another presidential election in your country,” Xi told Putin at the start of talks in the Kremlin, the state-run TASS news agency reported. “Thanks to your strong leadership, Russia has made significant progress in achieving prosperity … in recent years. I am sure that the Russian people will strongly support Mr. President.” The problem is, Putin hasn’t declared his candidacy yet … even though there’s little uncertainty he will. Xi’s remarks prompted Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov to say that the Chinese leader had not specifically said Putin would participate in next year's election — even though the Kremlin shared Xi's confidence in Russians' support for Putin. Reuters reported. ANOTHER KEY DEAL — THE ARCTIC: Russia and China will set up a joint working group for the development of the Northern Sea Route, Putin told Xi. "We see cooperation with Chinese partners in developing the transit potential of the Northern Sea Route as promising.” This is a strategic prize for China, which is keen to seek alternative routes to Europe away from the Suez Canal, the Indian Ocean and the Straits of Malacca. AFTER VLADIMIR, PERHAPS VOLODYMYR? All eyes are now on whether Xi will call Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his Moscow trip. Ukraine is saying they’re ready for such a call. POLITICO’s Ukraine Correspondent Veronika Melkozerova has more. SECRET JOURNEY: As Xi was feted by Putin, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, also rotating president of the G7, traveled to Kyiv to meet with Zelenskyy. Kishida made the unannounced trip after his visit to India. TIME FOR MORE CHINA COVERAGE: Together with my U.S.-based colleague Phelim Kine, I will start writing a twice-a-week China Watcher newsletter from next week, out Tuesdays and Thursdays, bringing you a transatlantic perspective on the latest policy discussions and political interactions with and on China. Sign up here.
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