The leaders of Russia and China are set to carry talks in Samarkand on the sidelines of a regional safety summit.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to satisfy his Chinese language counterpart Xi Jinping in Uzbekistan on Thursday with Moscow looking for to shore up help as its invasion of Ukraine falters.

The 2 leaders are within the historical Silk Highway metropolis of Samarkand to attend a gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a regional safety group fashioned by Beijing and Moscow as a counterweight to the affect wielded by the US.

Putin and Xi are because of meet one-on-one on the sidelines of the summit. They’re anticipated to debate the state of affairs in Ukraine and Taiwan, amongst different points.

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov instructed a information briefing in Moscow on Tuesday that the assembly would maintain “particular significance” given the present geopolitical state of affairs.

It comes after Russian forces have been pushed again in Ukraine by a multi-pronged counteroffensive and following a latest uptick in tensions between Beijing and the West over Taiwan, an island which China claims as its personal.

The journey additionally marks Xi’s first abroad engagement for the reason that begin of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Putin to push for additional help over Ukraine

Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar, reporting from Samarkand, mentioned Putin is predicted to press Xi for clearer backing over Moscow’s offensive.

“Specialists and sources that we now have spoken to say that Ukraine would be the primary concern on the desk,” Serdar mentioned.

“Russia is looking for the total help of China for its invasion. Up to now, China has shunned offering stable help,” he mentioned. “[China] says the warfare in Ukraine was provoked by NATO, nevertheless, it hasn’t mentioned that it’s a justified invasion.”

The assembly will mark the 2 leaders’ second face-to-face talks this 12 months following discussions on the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February, after which Moscow and Beijing hailed a “no limits” partnership.

The February 4 assembly got here weeks earlier than Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.

Deepening partnership

After the West imposed sweeping sanctions on Moscow over its warfare in Ukraine, Russia has more and more turned in direction of Asia in a bid to maintain commerce flowing. Specifically, Putin is looking for to spice up vitality exports to China and the remainder of Asia, presumably with a pipeline by way of Mongolia.

Russia’s state vitality big Gazprom has for years been finding out the opportunity of creating a big new gasoline pipeline – the Energy of Siberia 2 – to journey by way of Mongolia taking Russian gasoline to China.

The road might doubtlessly carry 50 billion cubic metres of gasoline per 12 months, a couple of third of what Moscow normally sells to Europe, which is looking for independence from Russian vitality.

Putin, Xi and Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh are because of maintain a three-way assembly in Samarkand earlier than the SCO summit concludes.

The Russian president may even meet leaders from Iran, Pakistan, India and Turkey, amongst others.

Iran on Thursday signed a memorandum on becoming a member of the SCO, which counts Russia, China, India, Pakistan and quite a few Central Asian states as members.