Nikolai Patrushev, the secretary of Russia's Security Council, said that the West's attempt to contain both Russia and China should deepen cooperation between the two powers. He was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying that the talks in Beijing would be "thorough".

Putin will attend the third Belt and Road Forum after an invitation by Xi during a visit to Moscow in March. Trade between Russia and China soared 30% in the first half of this year and will rise to more than 200 billion USD in 2023, Russian Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said on a visit to China.

Putin last visited Beijing in February 2022, where he and Xi announced a 'no limits' partnership.