Russia and China to discuss greater gas, financial cooperation during Putin visit

FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a news conference following talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Moscow, Russia February 1, 2022. Yuri Kochetkov/Pool via REUTERS

Russia and China will discuss greater gas and financial cooperation during President Vladimir Putin's upcoming trip to Beijing for the winter Olympics, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.

Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will have lunch together on Friday, and could sign more than 15 agreements, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.

Putin will attend Friday's Winter Olympics opening ceremony, he said.

FILE PHOTO: Chinese President Xi Jinping applauds at a meeting commemorating the 110th anniversary of Xinhai Revolution at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China October 9, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

Ushakov said lots of new deals were bring prepared in relation to natural gas.

He also said serious efforts were being undertaken to create joint financial infrastructure that would be resistant to sanctions.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov and Igor Sechin, CEO of oil major Rosneft CEO will be among the Russian delegation, Ushakov added.

(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Andrew Osborn)