Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping took a break from meetings on Tuesday to show off their cooking skills.
While attending an economic forum in the far eastern port of Vladivostok, Russia, Putin and Xi donned blue aprons to cook up some traditional Russian pancakes, called blini. After making a short stack, the pair ate their blini topped with caviar and washed it down with shots of vodka.
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The two world leaders whipped up pancakes at the Eastern Economic Forum on Tuesday. Both countries are notorious for spreading positive propaganda about their leaders.
It was the second time the pair have cooked together. When Putin visited China in June, he learned how to make dumplings, which Xi then tasted.
Source: RT
The bake-off took place on “Far East Street,” reportedly a showcase of the region’s cultural and economic achievements on the sidelines of the forum.
Source: AFP
Putin and Xi had multiple types of caviar to choose from to top their blini.
While caviar is most commonly associated with Russian cuisine, China has actually become the world’s largest producer of the expensive fish eggs. Xi has forged a strong relationship with Putin since he became president of China in 2012.
In fact, Xi’s first foreign trip was to visit Russia in March of 2013. Two years later, Xi and his wife were guests of honor at the Moscow Victory Day Parade.Sources: The New York Times, AP
The forum also came as Russia and China held huge military drills in Siberia.
Source: Washington Post
Experts say the cozy display was meant to send a message to the West.
Alexander Gabuev, chairman of the Russia in the Asia-Pacific Program at the Carnegie Moscow Center think tank, told the Washington Post that Xi and Putin are “trying to signal” that “if the United States pushes too far, we are going to move closer to each other.” Source: Washington Post
At the forum, Xi said that China and Russia’s “friendship was getting stronger all the time.”
This does indeed send a message to the West. As the United States and Great Britain try to isolate Russia economically and diplomatically, the rest of the world is gradually coming to terms with the reality of a new balance of power in the world. The American empire is fading, and the rise of Russia and China to superpower status (once again for Russia) cannot be denied. The fact that the two leaders are enjoying themselves sends a message to the American power establishment of sure, you can do what you want, but you cannot stop us. Maybe you ought to stop your games and come over for dinner.
This indeed would be the best message.
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