Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu praised Vladimir Putin for "

In a video posted on the platform of the Chinese company NetEase Inc.. , Li Shangfu can be seen reading a prepared speech at a meeting last Sunday with Putin and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, writes Bloomberg.

Calling Putin " These comments highlight the contrast between Chinese and Western approaches to the Kremlin leader wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes..

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On Tuesday, G7 foreign ministers denounced Russian aggression and vowed to continue "

“It is not clear where the video with Li Shangfu came from. These words of his were not included in Chinese state media coverage of the meeting in Russia, or in the official Kremlin announcement of the event,” writes Bloomberg, adding that the Chinese Defense Ministry did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday..

Li Shangfu's trip to Russia is the first visit by a Chinese defense minister since the start of the war. Beijing has become Russia's biggest ally since Putin ordered an invasion in February 2022.. Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Moscow in March and spoke to Putin several times over the past year. During the visit, Xi Jinping said that his country "