Putin meets with China’s defense minister in Moscow

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has met with China’s defense minister in Moscow. Sunday’s meeting underscored China’s strengthening engagement with Russia. China has largely aligned its foreign policy with Russia in an attempt to diminish the influence of the United States and other Western democracies. Putin and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu met with Gen. Li Shangfu less than a month after Chinese leader Xi Jinping held a three-day state visit to Moscow. China has refused to criticize Russia’s military actions in Ukraine and blames the United States and NATO for provoking Moscow. But China’s foreign minister said last week that China wouldn’t be helping Russia with weapons, as the U.S. and other Western allies have feared.