As Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived on Monday afternoon in Moscow, he was greeted at Vnukovo airport by a Russian military band, but not Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I am very glad, at the invitation of President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, to come back to the land of our close neighbor … I am sure my visit will be fruitful,” Xi said, according to Russia's TASS News Agency, which is run by the state.
A view shows a motorcade transporting members of the Chinese delegation, including President Xi Jinping, upon their arrival in Moscow, Russia, March 20, 2023.
Reuters Photographer/via Reuters
Xi's visit with Kremlin officials amounts to China's most visible show of support for its neighbor since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. The Chinese president's visit comes days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin, accusing him of war crimes in Ukraine.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. ABC News' Joe Simonetti contributed to this story.
