Putin’s Year in Review: Where He Went, Who He Met, What He Got

• Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled extensively this 12 months, regardless of being sanctioned by the West.
• His conferences have been largely in Russia or Asia. The Worldwide Felony Court docket issued a warrant for his arrest.
• However ICC member Mongolia didn’t arrest Putin, citing its reliance on Russian vitality.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was a social butterfly this 12 months, touring to varied nations and assembly international dignitaries at dwelling — although he’s closely sanctioned.

The Russian chief began the 12 months largely in his nation forward of the presidential election in March by which he gained by a landslide.

Quickly after, Putin began touring and hobnobbing with dignitaries, primarily at dwelling and likewise in Asia.

In all, Putin took 11 worldwide journeys this 12 months, in accordance with TASS state information company.

Since Putin is needed by the Worldwide Felony Court docket, his journey was nonetheless restricted — however some world leaders got here to him as an alternative. He took half in over 220 occasions with 54 world leaders, per TASS.

In July, Putin met Indonesia’s then-President-elect Prabowo Subianto, who was visiting in his capability as protection minister. Prabowo described Russia “as an actual buddy” throughout his go to with the Russian chief.

In September, Putin met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on the sidelines of an financial discussion board.

In October, Putin hosted the BRICS summit involving a bunch of main rising economies, the place he met a variety of world leaders together with Chinese language chief Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Away from dwelling, this is who Putin met and what he did.

Placing on a full bromance show with Xi in Could

The primary notable individual Putin met this 12 months was Chinese language chief Xi Jinping. The Russian chief traveled to Beijing to fulfill his Chinese language counterpart.

Xi rolled out the crimson carpet for Putin in Beijing with a present of pomp and pageantry that includes a marching band, a guard of honor, a 21-gun salute on Tiananmen Sq., and flag-waving kids.

Putin was additionally handled to a banquet that includes delicacies like Peking Duck, sea cucumber, and sea bass in shrimp cream.

For Xi, Russia is a strategic accomplice in opposition to Western dominance. For Putin, the Chinese language connection is greater than geopolitics.

China has been a closing commerce accomplice of Russia even earlier than the invasion of Ukraine, and ties between the 2 have solely gotten tighter because the conflict began.

Because the EU’s sweeping sanctions in opposition to Russia, Moscow has steered the nation’s commerce — particularly in oil — eastward, significantly to China and India.

Commerce between Russia and China hit a file $240 billion in 2023, a 26% soar from 2022.

Putin adopted his worldwide itinerary by visiting the previous Soviet republics of Belarus and Uzbekistan in the identical month.

North Korea

In June, Putin made his technique to Pyongyang, the place he spent a day cozying as much as North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.

The final time the Russian chief visited the remoted nation was in 2000.

Kim showered Putin with presents, a welcoming ceremony involving a big crowd, a banquet, and a live performance.

Among the many presents Kim gave Putin have been what seems to be a portrait of the Russian chief, a bust bearing Putin’s likeness, a Russian-made Aurus limousine, a number of white horses, and a pair of Pungsan looking canines for the avid hunter.

Vietnam

In June, Putin visited Vietnam, a provide chain scorching spot for a lot of multinational firms diversifying their operations outdoors China.

The US embassy in Vietnam issued sharp criticism of the go to, saying that “no nation ought to give Putin a platform to advertise his conflict of aggression and in any other case enable him to normalize his atrocities.”

Throughout his go to, Putin was gifted with an set up artwork efficiency that includes a sculpture of “whinnying conflict horse, galloping majestically beneath the cover of a birch forest,” in accordance with info from a Vietnamese authorities web site.

The late Vietnamese chief Nguyen Phu Trong, who died the next month, offered Putin with the present, which was accompanied by a lightweight present. The sunshine present featured photographs of a younger Putin and the Russian chief at the moment.

It is unclear if Putin took the sculpture dwelling with him.

Mongolia

Within the second half of the 12 months, Putin visited a number of Central Asian nations, together with the previous Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

He additionally went to Kazakhstan for the Shanghai Cooperation Group summit.

Amongst Putin’s journeys within the later a part of the 12 months, his September go to to Mongolia raised eyebrows.

Mongolia is a member of the Worldwide Felony Court docket, so it’s purported to implement the group’s arrest warrant for Putin.

However that did not occur.

As a substitute, Mongolia gave Putin a lavish welcome and the Russian chief left a free man.

Mongolia defined that Russia is just too necessary for its vitality safety.

“Mongolia imports 95% of its petroleum merchandise and over 20% of electrical energy from our rapid neighborhood, which has beforehand suffered interruption for technical causes. This provide is important to make sure our existence and that of our folks,” a Mongolian spokesperson informed Politico.