President Putin praises “dear friend” Xi, proposes Russia’s Northern Sea Route

BEIJING, Oct 18 (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday praised Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and called for global investment in the Northern Sea Route, which would boost trade between East and West. He said that there is a possibility that the situation will deepen.

In his second known trip outside the former Soviet Union since the Ukraine war, President Putin thanked the Chinese leader for the invitation and warned that Russia could play a key role in China’s modern revival of the ancient Silk Road. He said that there is.

President Putin called Xi a “dear friend” and praised the Belt and Road Initiative, which has brought the world together.

A Reuters witness said several European delegates, including former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, left the room shortly before Putin began his speech.

“Russia and China, like most countries in the world, seek an equal and reciprocal approach to achieving universal, sustainable, long-term economic development and social welfare, while respecting the diversity of civilizations and the rights of each country. “We share the desire for mutual cooperation that puts the country on its own model of development,” Putin said.

Putin has said Belt and Road is a partnership with Russia, especially for many shipping routes across the world’s largest country, including the Northern Sea Route, which runs from Murmansk near the Russian-Norwegian border east to the Bering Strait near Alaska. He said he is developing infrastructure.

“Regarding the Northern Sea Route, Russia not only proposes to partners to actively exploit its transit possibilities, but also wants to say more. We invite interested countries to directly participate in the development of the Northern Sea Route. “We are ready to provide reliable icebreaking navigation and communications,” Putin said.

“Starting next year, ice-class cargo ships will be able to operate year-round along the entire length of the Northern Sea Route.”

President Putin has attended previous Belt and Road summits, bringing a senior delegation from Moscow.

The Russian officials included Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who is scheduled to visit North Korea soon, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, head of the oil and gas sector, and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko.

Also included were Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin Economic Advisor Maxim Oreshkin, Kremlin Foreign Policy Advisor Yuri Ushakov, Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov, and Russian Ambassador to China Igor Morgulov.

Our standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.