Putin to visit China this year, Lavrov says

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China in the first half of this year, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

"The program is currently being finalized," Lavrov said, according to Tass, without giving specific dates.

Lavrov has been in Beijing since Tuesday for a two-day visit that comes amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.

"In a fluid and turbulent world, the stability and certainty of China-Russia relations are truly valuable," Xi told Lavrov. He said the two sides should strengthen strategic communication and diplomatic coordination to advance their comprehensive strategic partnership.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination and the 25th anniversary of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.

Russian daily Vedomosti reported that Putin's visit is likely to take place in the second half of May, with preliminary dates discussed for the week of May 18, citing two unnamed sources.

US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Beijing between May 14 and May 15, according to the White House.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted Lavrov on Tuesday, when the two sides signed a plan for inter-ministerial consultations for 2026.

They also discussed the US-Israeli war, the Ukraine conflict and Asia-Pacific affairs.

Russia-China ties have strengthened in recent years, with bilateral trade reaching about $220 billion last year.

Putin last visited China in September, when he attended a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in the northern city of Tianjin and a military parade in Beijing marking the end of World War II.