Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow on Wednesday for high-profile talks with President Vladimir Putin, in a visit brimming with ceremony but shadowed by fresh Ukrainian drone attacks on the Russian capital. Kyiv, which has voiced strong opposition to the visit, watched as Xi’s plane landed at Vnukovo-2 airport just hours after Russia claimed to have intercepted yet another Ukrainian drone on the outskirts of Moscow.

Xi’s arrival underscores Beijing’s critical role in propping up Moscow’s war-strained economy, as China remains Russia’s largest buyer of oil and gas, helping to buffer the impact of sweeping Western sanctions. His visit coincided with the third consecutive day of Ukrainian drone raids on Moscow, which forced one of the city’s main airports to temporarily halt operations less than three hours before Xi’s touchdown.

Asked about the spate of aerial attacks on both Moscow and Kyiv, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson declined to address Xi’s visit directly, emphasizing only that de-escalation should be the international community’s top priority.

The Kremlin condemned Ukraine’s drone operations as "terrorist acts," asserting that Russian intelligence and defense forces were fully mobilized to safeguard upcoming World War Two commemorative events, which Xi is slated to attend.

Meanwhile, Kyiv reported a deadly overnight Russian missile assault on its capital, which killed a mother and her child. Russia maintains it targets only military sites.

Xi is set to be the most prominent global figure at Friday’s military parade on Red Square, marking 80 years since the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany. His attendance offers Putin a valuable diplomatic lift at a moment when the Kremlin is eager to demonstrate it retains influential allies. Russia has heralded Xi’s participation, alongside 28 other world leaders, as proof of its enduring international clout.

However, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, in what appeared to be a pointed message to China, urged nations to refrain from sending military delegations to the May 9 parade, warning that such involvement would undermine their stated neutrality in the conflict.

Drone Barrage Hits Moscow

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that Russian air defenses had destroyed at least 14 Ukrainian drones targeting the capital overnight, with two more downed during daylight hours. Despite the ongoing attacks, Xi is set to hold formal talks with Putin on Thursday before joining the commemorative parade.

Xi has repeatedly called for peace negotiations to resolve the Ukraine conflict and has accused the United States of fanning the flames by supplying Kyiv with weaponry. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously appealed to Xi to use his influence to push Putin toward ending the war.

Xi’s Moscow trip comes as U.S. President Donald Trump continues pressing both Russia and Ukraine to find a path toward peace, with each side blaming the other for stalled progress. Meanwhile, Xi is expected to ink a suite of new agreements designed to deepen China's already robust strategic partnership with Russia—a relationship that has seen Beijing emerge as Moscow’s top trading partner.

Although Trump has sought to recalibrate U.S.-Russia ties, Putin is expected to present a united front with Xi, opposing what both leaders describe as Washington’s dominance and unilateralism, while championing a more multipolar world order.

Reinforcing the Post-War Order

In an op-ed published in Russian media on Wednesday, Xi emphasized the importance of preserving the post-World War Two global framework. "China and Russia must stand firm in upholding the post-war international order," Xi wrote, according to Chinese state media, adding that the two countries should "jointly counter any attempts to erode the deep trust and friendship" between them.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova hailed Xi’s visit as a "pivotal moment" in the evolving Russian-Chinese alliance. Yun Sun, a China analyst at the Stimson Center in Washington, noted that the focus on World War Two commemoration allows both countries to frame themselves as guardians of the global order, even as they push back against perceived U.S. hegemony.

High on the agenda for Xi and Putin’s talks are sensitive issues, including energy cooperation and the ambitious yet unrealized Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, Kremlin advisor Yuri Ushakov confirmed.