The White House responded to the recent meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, where the two leaders exchanged a hug, with a touch of humor. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby quipped, "Exchanging hugs? Well, that's nice for them," during a briefing when asked about the significance of the embrace captured in photos.
Kirby, known for his dry wit, humorously deflected the question about personal affection, stating, "I'm not good at talking about personal human bodily affection one way or the other. I think I'll leave it to these two gents to talk about why they thought it was good to hug one another."
Despite the warm gesture between the two adversaries of the United States, Kirby noted that there hadn't been any notable advances in relations between China and Russia during Putin's visit to Beijing. He mentioned ongoing concerns regarding Chinese companies providing technology to support Russia's actions in Ukraine but stated that there were no surprises or major developments resulting from Putin's trip.
Kirby emphasized that the United States continues to monitor the relationship between China and Russia closely, expressing a degree of wariness about the direction it may take. However, he clarified that there was no indication of any immediate assistance from China to Russia's armed forces following Putin's visit.
Putin's visit to China, his first since his re-election in March, was characterized by talks between the leaders highlighting the stabilizing role of their nations in a turbulent global landscape. Despite the diplomatic rhetoric, the White House remains vigilant in observing the evolving dynamics between Russia and China.
