Russia and China have reaffirmed their deepening strategic ties during high-level talks focused on the Ukraine war and their relations with the United States. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing, where both sides stressed their commitment to close cooperation across key international organizations and discussed the challenges posed by current global instability.

The meeting took place ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) foreign ministers’ gathering, with Lavrov and Wang underscoring the importance of coordinating their actions on global issues. Moscow’s foreign ministry said the talks addressed the Ukraine conflict and relations with Washington, highlighting the need to strengthen cooperation in forums such as the UN Security Council, BRICS, G20, and APEC.

China’s foreign ministry described the meeting as focused on mutual efforts to foster development and resilience against shared global challenges, emphasizing the importance of stability on issues like the Korean Peninsula and Iran’s nuclear program.

Beijing and Moscow maintain what they term a “no limits” partnership, established just days before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. While the U.S. identifies China as its foremost competitor and Russia as its primary security threat, both Moscow and Beijing continue to coordinate on strategic matters, presenting a united front against Western policies.

Lavrov’s visit and the discussions around Ukraine and U.S. relations underscore the enduring alignment between the two nations despite increasing geopolitical tensions.