Putin to Visit China in 2026, Lavrov Confirms

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China in the first half of this year, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday after a two-day visit to Beijing.

Lavrov told state news agency TASS that details of the trip are not yet finalised. However, the visit is expected to renew the China-Russia friendship treaty signed in July 2001.

He added that Moscow has proposed prioritising cooperation in education as part of the visit’s programme.

During his trip, Lavrov met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday and held talks with President Xi Jinping on Wednesday.

This year marks key milestones in bilateral ties, including 30 years of the China-Russia strategic partnership and 25 years of the friendship treaty.

Russian newspaper Vedomosti reported that the visit could take place in the second half of May, with the week of May 18 under consideration.

China-Russia relations have deepened in recent years. Bilateral trade reached about $220 billion last year. Putin last visited China in September, when he attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin and a military parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.