Former Russian foreign minister: China will 'never' treat Putin as 'equal'

Former Russian foreign minister Andrei Kozyrev believes Russia is now vulnerable, and China will exploit its position of strength in any future deals Putin seeks.

Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev speaks at a news conference in front of a portrait of the Emir Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmed al-Sabah October 14 ( ) Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping (Photo by Alexei DruzhininTASS via Getty Images) 16 November 2021, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lubmin: View of pipe systems and shut-off devices at the gas receiving station of the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline. The Higher Administrative Court (OVG) of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is hearing a lawsuit filed by Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) against Nord Stream 2. DUH had filed a lawsuit in the summer of 2020 for a review of the construction and operating permit for Nord Stream 2 by the Stralsund Mining Authority. Photo: Stefan Sauer/dpa (Photo by Stefan Sauer/picture alliance via Getty Images) (Photo by Stefan Sauer/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Russia and China developed closer ties in the run-up to the invasion of Ukraine, signing a number of deals that would potentially allow Moscow a backdoor economically to alleviate any sanctions from the West. Such deals included broader access to Russian wheat and a plan to sell 100 million tons of Russian coal to China.