Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first visit to Moscow since the invasion of Ukraine this week. China and Russia have described Xi’s three-day trip as an opportunity to deepen their “no-limits friendship.”

China has thus far not provided military supplies to Russia, but has criticized Western sanctions and accused NATO and the United States of provoking the Russian invasion. The sanctions have had the effect of increasing Russia’s reliance on trade with China and moving the countries closer together.

The Moscow summit has the effect of underscoring and reinforcing the status of “Russia as a junior partner with China—economically, militarily and diplomatically,” Ret. Vice Admiral Robert Murrett, professor of practice of public administration and international affairs, tells the Associated Press.

“Russia has an increasing dependence on China because of Moscow’s growing domestic and international challenges, and at the same time, China can derive selected advantages from the relationship while continuing to develop a range of other bilateral initiatives on the world stage,” he says.

Murrett was also quoted in the Daily Mail article, “Body language experts say Xi looked at Putin 'like a younger brother' and reveal tell-tale signs that the Chinese leader now holds all the power.” 

“China appears to be more interested in acting as a mediator for peace initiatives with regard to Ukraine than increasing support for the Russian invasion,” says Murrett.