As Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares for his heavily choreographed May 9 “Victory Day” military parade, he’s been clear who’s at the top of his guest list: Xi Jinping. The Chinese leader is set to arrive in Moscow on Wednesday for a four-day state visit,

The Trump administration has said it wants to pull apart Russia and China, but the two countries need each other too much.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Moscow for a four-day state visit, his 11th to Russia, in a show of strategic solidarity with President Vladimir Putin. The visit is seen as a significant diplomatic boost for Russia as it seeks to counter claims of international isolation following its ongoing war in Ukraine.