Moscow finds no escape from predicament in partnership with PRC

Russia’s only hope of regaining the strategic initiative lies in expanding supplies of drone components and communication technologies from the PRC. The necessary high-level consent for such support, however, is by no means certain. Beijing has made it appear that it does not want to see Russia’s defeat, but an escalation of its confrontation with Europe also serves the PRC’s interests. The value of Russia’s partnership in this geoeconomic maneuvering is diminishing, and Putin can hardly expect that his forthcoming visit will yield much tangible fruit in the form of the PRC’s help in overcoming economic recession and strategic deadlock. The Kremlin may instead get a message on the PRC’s attitude about ending the war against Ukraine, and not necessarily through making a peace deal, but rather through reconciling with the reality of self-defeating attrition.