BEIJING, May 15, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed

Beijing's "genuine desire" to help resolve the Ukraine crisis, in an
interview with Chinese state media published Wednesday ahead of a two-day
visit to the country.

Putin arrives in Beijing on Thursday to meet his "dear friend" Xi Jinping,
seeking to win greater support from China for his war effort in Ukraine and
isolated economy.

The visit, in which he will also travel to the northeastern city of Harbin
for a trade and investment expo, is Putin's first trip abroad since his March
re-election and his second in just over six months to China.

"We commend China's approaches to resolving the crisis in Ukraine," Putin
told the Xinhua state news agency in a Moscow interview, which was also
carried in English on the Kremlin website.

"Beijing is well aware of its root causes and global geopolitical
significance," Putin said, referring to a 12-point position paper published
by China in February 2023 on reaching a political settlement to the crisis.

"The ideas and proposals contained in the document show the genuine desire of
our Chinese friends to help stabilise the situation," Putin said.

Days before Russia launched its full-scale military assault on Ukraine in
February 2022, Beijing and Moscow declared a "no limits" partnership and have
since boosted trade to record highs.

Moscow has looked to China as a crucial economic lifeline since the West hit
Russia with unprecedented sanctions over its military offensive.

China has meanwhile benefited from cheap Russian energy imports and access to
vast natural resources, including steady gas shipments via the Power of
Siberia pipeline.

But their close economic partnership has come under scrutiny in the West,
with the United States threatening to sanction overseas banks and companies
that work with Moscow.