Russia seeks to strengthen energy ties with China through new Siberia pipeline amid geopolitical shifts

Vladimir Putin has arrived in China seeking to turn warmer political ties with Beijing into a concrete energy win: approval for the long-discussed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, which would carry Russian gas from the Arctic and western Siberia through Mongolia to Chinese customers. The trip comes as Moscow looks for new outlets after Western sanctions and the collapse of much of its European market, while also trying to persuade Beijing that the conflict in Iran has made secure over...

The timing matters. According to AP, Xi Jinping and Putin met in Beijing on 20 May 2026 and used the occasion to reaffirm what both sides described as a strategic partnership at its strongest point in history. They oversaw the signing of more than 40 cooperation agreements covering trade, technology and media, and both leaders again signalled opposition to what they call American unilateralism. (apnews.com)

Energy remains the core of the relationship. The Congressional Research Service says the existing Power of Siberia 1 pipeline delivered about 31 billion cubic metres of gas to China in 2024, rising to more than 38 billion cubic metres in 2025, above planned capacity. It also says Russian and Gazprom sources described the Power of Siberia 2 talks in September 2025 as resulting in a “legally binding agreement”, though Chinese official media had not set out the status of the negotiations by December 2025, leaving open the possibility that talks were still continuing. (congress.gov)

If completed, the new line would significantly deepen Russia’s dependence on China at a time when Beijing is also balancing its ties with Washington. AP reported that bilateral trade reached about $228 billion in 2025, while Russian oil exports to China rose sharply in early 2026, underscoring how the two economies have grown closer even as Moscow faces sanctions and Beijing tries to avoid a direct break with the West. (apnews.com)

Source: Noah Wire Services