Xi and Putin reaffirm unity but gas pipeline deal eludes Moscow again

The Power of Siberia 2 pipeline was flagged by both sides ahead of the summit as the centerpiece deal. Russia needed it. China holds the leverage. Two days of meetings, around 40 signed agreements on trade, tech, IP, automobiles, civilian nuclear. The one Russia actually wanted, no breakthrough. Peskov said the sides reached agreement on “key parameters” but “some nuances remain”. That phrasing is Kremlin-standard for stalled negotiation. The asymmetry was the story. Russia arrives needing the p