China’s Xi to go to Russia next week for his first visit since Putin ordered invasion of Ukraine

BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit Russia from March 20 to 22, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Friday.

This is Xi’s first visit to Russia since the invasion of Ukraine in late February last year.

The two leaders last met in Samarkand, Uzbekistan in September.

The ministry said the visit was at Russian President Vladimir Putin’s request. It did not specify whether Putin would meet with Xi.

The two leaders are expected to discuss further Sino-Russian cooperation, the Kremlin said in a statement, adding that “important bilateral documents will be signed” without elaborating.

The visit comes as China called again for a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war and for peace talks to resolve the conflict that began just over a year ago.

Beijing has refused to call Moscow’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine an invasion.