Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed ties with China as being at an “unprecedentedly high level” after Moscow and Beijing signed a landmark agreement to build the Power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline, CNN reported.
The project, which will transport 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from western Russia to northern China via Mongolia, is expected to compensate for nearly half of Russia’s lost gas exports to Europe following the Ukraine conflict.
During his China visit, Putin met Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mongolia’s President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, holding formal talks and informal discussions over tea at Xi’s official residence.
On Tuesday, Russia’s state-owned energy giant Gazprom confirmed that a legally binding deal had been signed. The agreement includes a 30-year supply contract, with gas prices reportedly lower than those charged to Europe. Gazprom CEO Aleksey Miller described it as “the largest, most extensive, and most capital-intensive gas project in the world.”
The deal marks a strategic victory for Putin as Russia pivots eastward, countering US President Donald Trump’s push for nations to cut Russian energy imports.
However, Beijing has yet to officially confirm the deal. Chinese state media reports on the trilateral meeting with Russia and Mongolia made no mention of the pipeline. China has remained cautious, balancing its transition to renewable energy with concerns about overreliance on a single supplier.
When questioned, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Beijing and Moscow have engaged in “practical cooperation in various fields, including energy,” but declined to elaborate, urging reporters to seek details from the relevant authorities.
