The remarks came as Xi and Putin met yesterday for the first time since the war began at a summit in Uzbekistan, where Putin was expected to court the Chinese leader personally as an ally in his conflict with the west.
They exchanged warm words in their opening remarks, with Xi calling Putin an "old friend" and Putin thanking him for his "balanced" stance on the Ukraine invasion.
But it was Putin's cryptic acknowledgement of Chinese "concerns" over the invasion that drew the most attention. In doing so, the Russian leader seemed especially keen to curry favour with Xi, striking a conciliatory tone on a topic where he is often volatile and uncompromising.
"We highly value the balanced position of our Chinese friends when it comes to the Ukraine crisis," Putin said. "We understand your questions and concerns about this. During today's meeting, we will of course explain our position." China's biggest concern is probably the economic fallout from the invasion, including Russian threats of an all-out energy war against Europe.
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