26th March 2023 – (Moscow) In an interview with the Rossiya-24 TV channel on Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin denied creating a military alliance with China. Putin stressed that the developing cooperation between Moscow and Beijing, including on the military track, was not a military alliance.
“This is absolutely untrue,” Putin said when asked whether the cooperation between Russia and China posed a threat to the West. “We are not creating any military alliance with China.”
Putin acknowledged that Russia and China are engaged in military-technical cooperation, but he maintained that it was transparent, with nothing secret there. He noted that Moscow is also developing military cooperation with Beijing, including joint exercises, and that such cooperation was not limited to China alone.
“We even continue it now, despite the developments in Donbass, Zaporozhye and Kherson. We still continue; it’s all transparent, but it’s not a military alliance,” Putin said.
The Russian President emphasized that his country’s military cooperation with other countries, including China, was not aimed at threatening anyone. He maintained that Russia was pursuing its national interests, which were not in conflict with those of other countries.
“Russia is not seeking to create any military blocs or alliances aimed at someone,” Putin said. “We have always been and will continue to be open to cooperation with all countries that are interested in it and respect our interests and sovereignty.”