Undeterred by the threat of Ukrainian attacks, Chinese President Xi Jinping sat shoulder to shoulder with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow’s Red Square on May 9, in a show of solidarity.

Decked out in matching black coats with the orange and black striped Ribbon of Saint George – a symbol of Russian nationalism and military valour – pinned on their lapels, both men watched a display of Russian weapons, including drones used against Ukraine, and a march-past of troops from various nations, including China’s People’s Liberation Army, at the Victory Day parade.

The parade marked the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union and its allies over Nazi Germany. 

It was also Mr Putin’s party to show that he has broken free of the diplomatic isolation imposed on Russia by the US and Europe after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. 

No world leader showed up for the Victory Day parade in May 2022. This year, over two dozen did, compared with just nine in 2024. Among them, the most powerful was Mr Xi, whom Mr Putin has described as his “main guest” and who last attended the parade in 2015.

Why did Mr Xi go out on a limb – risking the ire of Europe and Ukraine – to “give face” to Mr Putin? 

A superficial reason is: Mr Putin has often done Mr Xi the favour of showing up at major events in China in the role of the most powerful world leader in attendance.

China is set to hold its own celebration in September to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and Mr Putin is tipped to attend. 

At the fundamental level, both leaders share a common need for strategic unity in the face of a stronger adversary – the United States. 

After US President Donald Trump began his second term in January, he reached out to Mr Putin in an attempt to draw Russia closer and possibly drive a wedge between Russia and China.

Observers have coined this as a “reverse Nixon” strategy, which flips the logic of then US President Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit to China to pull Beijing closer in order to counterbalance the Soviet Union during the Cold War.