Story perspectives

Beijing Welcomes Trump, Putin While China Fuels Russia War

5/19/2026

Summary

Story summary

Beijing hosted U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin a week apart, focusing diplomacy on China.
Chinese firms’ supply of equipment and drone parts, together with China’s purchase of $367 billion of Russian fossil fuels since 2022, sustains Russia’s weapons production and boosts war revenue.
The leaders will discuss Power of Siberia 2 pipeline and projects, while CNN reports China may be preparing weapons for Iran, a claim Beijing denies.

History

Historical Context

In February 1972 President Richard Nixon became the first U.S. leader to visit the People’s Republic of China, ending more than twenty-two years of hostility and signing the Shanghai Communiqué. The thaw created unofficial embassies and opened Beijing as a diplomatic venue, a precedent echoed by later high-level meetings such as the recent Trump-Putin encounter.

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Story summary

Beijing hosted U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin a week apart, focusing diplomacy on China.
Chinese firms’ supply of equipment and drone parts, together with China’s purchase of $367 billion of Russian fossil fuels since 2022, sustains Russia’s weapons production and boosts war revenue.
The leaders will discuss Power of Siberia 2 pipeline and projects, while CNN reports China may be preparing weapons for Iran, a claim Beijing denies.

1 / 2