Are Xi Jinping and Putin still ‘best friends’? – The Latest

from Today in Focus · host The Guardian

Xi Jinping welcomed Vladimir Putin to Beijing with pomp and pageantry, just days after hosting Donald Trump. But as Russia’s war in Ukraine makes Moscow increasingly dependent on China, and western leaders thaw relations with Beijing, what does the power imbalance mean for Xi and Putin’s relationship? Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s deputy head of international news, Devika Bhat. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 20, 2026

Embed this episode

Attribution link and audio player

NOW PLAYING

Are Xi Jinping and Putin still ‘best friends’? – The Latest

0:00 11:51

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

No similar episodes found.

Similar Podcasts

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Today in Focus?

This episode is 11 minutes long.

When was this Today in Focus episode published?

This episode was published on May 20, 2026.

Can I download this Today in Focus episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.

URL copied to clipboard!