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Russia Departs Beijing Without Pipeline Deal as China-Moscow Ties Shift

Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded talks in Beijing Wednesday with over 40 bilateral agreements on trade, education, technology, and nuclear security. However, he failed to secure a breakthrough on the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline project, a key objective for Moscow. Russia's European gas exports have contracted sharply since 2022. Russian officials acknowledged progress on project parameters during the summit but described remaining technical issues without establishing a completion timeline. Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized energy cooperation's importance to bilateral relations but made no specific mention of the pipeline initiative. The stalled negotiation underscores shifting dynamics in the partnership, with Beijing appearing to maintain stronger negotiating leverage as Russia's European market position weakens.