Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to secure Chinese approval for the long-awaited Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline during talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday.
According to The Washington Post (WP), this deals a setback to Moscow’s efforts to deepen Beijing’s energy dependence on Russian exports.
Putin had traveled to Beijing hoping to win final backing for the massive infrastructure project, which would transport around 50 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas annually to China via Mongolia. However, the meeting ended without a formal agreement or timeline, and no breakthrough was announced.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said only a “general understanding” had been reached on the project’s outline, including its route and construction principles, while key commercial and technical details remain unresolved.
“In fact, [Putin] said during the talks that there is already a general understanding of the main parameters of Power of Siberia 2,” Peskov told reporters. “Some details still need to be finalized.”
Analysts say the stalled pipeline reflects China’s cautious approach, balancing its energy needs with geopolitical risks, even as Russia seeks deeper economic reliance with its eastern partner.
Despite the lack of progress on the pipeline, Xi and Putin projected unity during their meeting, presenting their partnership as a stabilizing force in global affairs and sharply criticizing Western influence.
In a joint statement, the two sides condemned what they described as “treacherous military strikes against other countries” and accused unnamed states of destabilizing sovereign governments.
Xi also told Putin that a “comprehensive cessation of hostilities” in the Middle East was urgently needed, warning that continued conflict risks disrupting global energy flows and trade stability.
The Beijing meeting highlighted both cooperation and friction in the Chinese-Russian relationship. While Moscow has become increasingly dependent on Chinese energy purchases and industrial supplies amid Western sanctions, Beijing continues to avoid firm long-term commitments on major strategic infrastructure deals.
Earlier, Xi described Chinese-Russian relations as a force of “calm amid chaos” during talks with Putin in Beijing on May 20, according to CNN.
The meeting, held at the Great Hall of the People, marked the start of Putin’s roughly 24-hour state visit and came just days after Xi hosted US President Donald Trump for a high-profile summit, underscoring China’s growing role as a diplomatic intermediary between rival powers.
Opening the talks, Xi criticized the international environment as marked by “intertwined turbulence and transformation” and accused unnamed powers of “unilateral hegemonic” behavior. In a veiled reference to the US, he said China and Russia should strengthen their “comprehensive strategic coordination,” according to Chinese state media.
Putin, on his 25th visit to China since taking office, said bilateral ties had reached an “unprecedentedly high level” and called them a key stabilizing factor in global affairs.
He also used a Chinese idiom suggesting that being apart from Xi felt like “one day apart feels like three autumns.”
The two sides also marked the 25th anniversary of their 2001 Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, which resolved long-standing border disputes and laid the foundation for expanded strategic ties.
Analysts noted that Putin arrived in Beijing in a weaker position than on previous visits, as Ukraine has intensified long-range drone strikes deep inside Russian territory and Moscow has suffered recent battlefield setbacks and territorial losses.
Despite the symbolism of the visit, the economic balance continues to tilt toward Beijing, which has become increasingly central to Russia’s trade and energy exports under Western sanctions.
Chinese-Russian relations have deepened since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Putin visiting Beijing annually amid growing Russian isolation from the West.
Beijing continues to call for negotiations to end the war in Ukraine but has not condemned Russia’s invasion, positioning itself as a neutral party.
At the same time, analysts say China and Russia diverge on parts of the Middle East agenda, with Moscow seeking to benefit from higher energy prices driven by instability in the Strait of Hormuz, while Beijing pushes for rapid de-escalation to stabilize global trade and energy flows.