Putin expected in Beijing for talks with China's Xi on Thursday

Following the start of his fifth term in office, Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to China this week for a rare visit abroad and his first official trip to a foreign country as part of his new tenure.

The Kremlin leader is expected to arrive in Beijing on Thursday at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping and stay until Friday, China's state news agency Xinhua reported.

The Kremlin also confirmed the planned visit. Talks will centre on bilateral ties as well as international politics, it said.

According to the Kremlin's official press service, the talks will be followed by the publication of a joint declaration and the signing of several agreements. Putin and Xi will also take part in a ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, it said.

Putin's last official state visit to Russia's eastern neighbour was almost six years ago.

However, he was in Beijing last October to attend a summit focused on China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a massive infrastructure project intended to better connect Asia to European and African markets.

The choice of China as Putin's first destination after his re-election in March underscores the close ties between the two nuclear powers and permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

Since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the imposition of Western sanctions, Russia has been largely internationally isolated.

However, China has not condemned the attack and has adopted a neutral stance towards the outside world, while continuing to back its long-standing partner.

So far, Beijing has not agreed to participate in an upcoming peace conference hosted by Switzerland, to which Russia has not been invited.

China says it does support a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine within the framework of a conference but maintains this must fulfil the demands of both warring parties.