Russia-China trade, which soared to record levels as the war in Ukraine left Moscow isolated, is now falling, a trend Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking to reverse as he prepares for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, three Russian sources said.
When Western partners cut ties with Russia after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, China came to the rescue, buying Russian oil and selling goods from cars to electronics that pushed bilateral trade to a record $245 billion in 2024.
Led by a slump in vehicle imports to Russia and a decline in oil exports to China, trade turnover was down 8.1% year-on-year from January to July 2025, Chinese customs data published last week showed.
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