Xi will deepen “mutual trust” with Putin, according to Beijing, and attend activities commemorating 80 years since the Allied forces’ World War II victory over Nazi Germany.

Trump in recent months has upended traditional US policy toward Russia, parroting Kremlin rhetoric about the war in Ukraine and appearing open to concessions in Moscow’s favour as he aims to end to the entrenched conflict.

But there are signs of impatience in the Trump administration with Putin’s ongoing onslaught against Ukraine despite the Ukraine-backed 30-day ceasefire proposal. And Washington and Kyiv’s signing last week of an agreement on natural resources is widely seen as strengthening Ukraine’s position with Washington.

Regardless, close observers of both Xi and Putin’s governments say there’s little incentive for either to throw over what has been a carefully crafted relationship with deep ideological and economic benefits.

That’s been the leading view from Beijing. “Russia stands jointly with China” on supporting the international order, according to Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University in the Chinese capital.

“Russia distrusts the US … and the fundamental hostile attitude toward Russia in the US and in general from the West cannot be changed (by Trump),” said Wang.

Instead, analysts say, Xi and Putin’s meetings in the days ahead are likely to send another message: China and Russia remain as aligned as ever.