Putin Meets Xi in Beijing for 2 Days as Russia Pushes 50 bcm Gas Link
Updated
Updated · Kyiv Post · May 21
Putin Meets Xi in Beijing for 2 Days as Russia Pushes 50 bcm Gas Link
10 articles · Updated · Kyiv Post · May 21
Two days of talks in Beijing will center on global politics and stronger economic ties, with Putin calling Russia-China relations at an "unprecedentedly high level."
A planned 7,000-km Power of Siberia 2 pipeline is a key pillar of that push, potentially sending an additional 50 billion cubic meters of Russian gas to China each year.
The partnership is framed less as ideology than as shared interest: both leaders want to blunt US influence and exploit disorder created by Washington's erratic foreign policy.
China is also seen seeking wider concessions from Moscow, including infrastructure access along the Northern Sea Route to support its emerging polar shipping ambitions.
The visit underscores Beijing's broader effort to build trade, payments and diplomatic structures less dependent on the US, while projecting China as the steadier major power.
As Russia becomes China's energy vassal, what hidden frictions could fracture their anti-US alliance?
How does China justify its massive Russian gas pipeline while positioning itself as a global clean energy leader?
With BRICS nations building a SWIFT alternative, is the US dollar's financial supremacy nearing its end?
The Unfinished Power of Siberia 2 Deal: China-Russia Energy Negotiations and Global Gas Market Impacts in 2026
Overview
The May 2026 summit between Presidents Putin and Xi showcased a strong public unity and highlighted the deepening strategic alignment between Russia and China. This growing co-dependency signals a relationship that is becoming harder for the rest of the world to unravel. However, despite this display of partnership, the crucial Power of Siberia 2 pipeline deal remained unresolved. Both sides have reservations: Russia fears over-reliance on China as a single customer, risking exposure and a weaker bargaining position, while China leverages its strength to demand better terms. This ongoing stalemate reflects the complex, asymmetric dynamics shaping their energy negotiations.