MOSCOW ¨C 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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