Leaders of Russia and China meet at a Central Asian summit in a show of deepening cooperation

Associated Press

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have met for the second time in as many months as they visit Kazakhstan for a session of an international group founded to counter Western alliances. Putin and Xi last got together in May when the Kremlin leader visited Beijing to underscore their close partnership that opposes the U.S.-led democratic order and seeks to promote a more “multipolar” world. Now they’ll be attending a session of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the Kazakh capital of Astana. Analysts say a goal for Putin is to show that Russia is not isolated after the invasion of Ukraine.