The ties between Russia and China have grown despite, or perhaps because of, Western pressure. Mr. Putin’s visit to Harbin, a Chinese city with a Russian past, is part of a trip aimed at demonstrating that he has powerful friends even as his war against Ukraine has isolated him from the West. A statement aimed at the United States pledged that Russia and China would work more closely in critical sectors like energy, space and the military. The growing security ties between the two nuclear-armed powers is a focal point of Mr. Putin’s Harbin visit. Mr. Putin is also using his visit to Harbin, where he attended a trade fair, to promote the flow of goods between the countries. 

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