Lead
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that during their informal tea talks in Beijing, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the recent visit of US President Donald Trump to China, with Xi briefing Putin on the visit. Peskov also told reporters that the Iran issue was raised in their conversation over tea, and he reiterated Russia's criticism of the US blockade of Cuba, calling its consequences "devastating" for the island's people.
Coverage comparison
All reports of these statements come from TASS, the Russian state news agency, which has covered the Kremlin spokesman's briefings in the days around Putin's trip to Beijing. The accounts include his remarks on the tea meeting format, on preparations for the visit, and on the broader context of US-China relations and the Iran conflict. The material provided does not indicate any disagreement or variation between the TASS articles; they mostly follow the Kremlin's framing of the talks as constructive and significant.
Beyond the tea talks, Peskov addressed the US blockade of Cuba on several occasions, describing it as "unprecedented" and having catastrophic consequences for ordinary Cubans. He also rejected the US pressure on Cuba, noting Russia's continued contact with Cuban leadership.
Key claims
Details from the tea talks
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Chinese President Xi Jinping briefed President Putin on US President Donald Trump's visit to China during the informal tea meeting. "They held a very detailed conversation," Peskov said. He added that "Iran was also discussed over tea." According to Peskov, Putin raised the idea of moving Iran's enriched uranium to Russia, constituting a proposal for Tehran to consider.
Peskov also described the tea meetings as a regular part of Putin-Xi meetings, setting that such format is used to discuss the "most sensitive issues," but it is not exclusive and similar formats exist with other leaders.
US blockade of Cuba
Peskov called the US blockade of Cuba "unprecedented" and said it is leading to facing further "devastating consequences" for the people on the island. He stated that "further muscle-flexing, including the armada's arrival, will only worsen the situation." Russia remains in contact with the Cuban leadership to alleviate the burden, he said.
Putin's upcoming visit to China
Ahead of the visit, Peskov said that "preparations for the visit are over" and it would be officially announced in agreement with Beijing leaders. He noted Russia having "very high expectations" for the visit, and detailed that the delegation will include all relevant deputy prime ministers, many ministers, and heads of companies, aiming to strengthen the "privileged, special strategic partnership." The agenda includes trade and economic cooperation, which Peskov said exceeds $200 billion in value per, and international affairs.
Context of the talks
In a broader context, TASS also reported that the talks and ceremonies during Putin's visit included the signing by the leaders of partners and declarations, including the extension of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.