Rare Appearance by Putin at Belt and Road Forum

Russian President Vladimir Putin made a rare international appearance at the third Belt and Road forum in Beijing. This marked his first appearance since the war in Ukraine.

Invitation to Participate in Northern Sea Route Development

In his opening ceremony speech, Putin invited countries to participate in the development of the Northern Sea Route. The forum commemorates the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) summit.

Support for Global Cooperation

Addressing over 1,000 delegates from more than 130 countries, Putin expressed agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the Belt and Road idea’s alignment with multilateral efforts to enhance global cooperation.

Putin stated, “In the European part of Russia, we form an international north-south corridor… It connects Russian ports in the Baltic and Arctic with the ports on the coast of the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean along the entire route from our northern city.”

Significance of the Northern Sea Route

The Northern Sea Route is a 3,480 mile-long shipping route connecting the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. It runs along the Russian Arctic Coast above Siberia, starting from the entrances of Novaya Zemiya straits in the west.

Putin emphasized, “Russia is the biggest country in the world. That is why the connectivity of all the partners is relevant for the relations between the partners.”

Potential Impact on Global Trade and Communications

The successful development of the Northern Sea Route could make Russia crucial to global trade and communications between Asia and Europe, according to an analysis by Foreign Policy.

Strengthening Partnership with China

Putin met Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing to reinforce their “no-limits” partnership amidst escalating conflicts in the Middle East and the ongoing Ukraine war.

This is a developing story. Please check back for more updates.