Putin discusses 'multipolar global order' with China's Xi after Trump inauguration

ABC News - Jan 21st, 2025
Open on ABC News

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a call to affirm their countries' strong relationship, emphasizing shared interests and mutual benefits. This conversation comes right after Donald Trump's inauguration as the 47th U.S. president. With China being a significant buyer of Russian oil and gas amid Western sanctions, both leaders highlighted their collaboration for a multipolar global order and stability in Eurasia. The timing suggests a coordinated approach in dealing with the new U.S. administration under Trump, who has expressed both confrontational and cooperative stances towards China, and a willingness to engage with Russia on global issues.

The dialogue between Putin and Xi underscores the strategic partnership between Moscow and Beijing, particularly in the context of escalating geopolitical tensions and economic sanctions against Russia. Putin's openness to engaging with Trump indicates a potential shift in U.S.-Russia relations, especially concerning the Ukraine conflict. Both countries appear to be setting the stage for diplomatic interactions with the U.S., potentially reshaping the global power dynamics. The emphasis on a stable and just international order reflects their joint ambition to counterbalance Western influence, particularly in light of Trump's previous rhetoric on trade and security issues.

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RATING

7.8
Fair Story
Consider it well-founded

The news story presents a well-researched and accurate account of a significant geopolitical development, backed by credible sources. It effectively captures the essence of the conversation between Putin and Xi, emphasizing their commitment to a multipolar global order and the implications for international relations. The story's balanced tone, though slightly skewed towards Russian and Chinese perspectives, does not overtly favor any side, maintaining a degree of neutrality.

While the source quality is robust, with authoritative outlets lending credibility, the inclusion of more diverse perspectives, particularly from Western sources, could enhance the story's balance and depth. Transparency is adequate, though additional context on the broader geopolitical impacts could further enrich the narrative.

Clarity is a strong point, with the story's structure and language facilitating reader comprehension. However, distinguishing between factual reporting and speculative interpretations could improve clarity further. Overall, the story offers valuable insights into the evolving dynamics between major global powers, with room for minor enhancements in balance and transparency.

RATING DETAILS

9
Accuracy

The news story is highly accurate, as corroborated by multiple reliable sources in the accuracy check. Key claims, such as the call between Putin and Xi Jinping and its context following Trump's inauguration, are well-supported by sources like Chron.com and NDTV.com. The story accurately describes the strengthening ties between Russia and China, particularly in the face of Western sanctions, and aligns with reported statements from both leaders about their commitment to a multipolar global order. However, while the factual elements are verified, the interpretation that the timing of the call might signal coordination against the new U.S. administration, though plausible, remains speculative without direct quotes or evidence to support this inference. This minor gap accounts for the story not receiving a perfect score.

The details about Trump's inauguration are also accurately captured, with specifics about the event confirmed by FOX 5 NY and Indian Express. Additionally, Putin's remarks regarding his openness to dialogue with Trump are consistent with the narrative of seeking stability and mutual respect. Overall, the story is well-grounded in factual reporting with minor speculative elements.

7
Balance

The news story presents a somewhat balanced view of international relations by highlighting the interactions between major global powers—Russia, China, and the U.S. It accurately depicts the perspectives of both Putin and Xi Jinping regarding their bilateral relations and the broader global order. However, the story primarily reflects the viewpoints of the Russian and Chinese leadership, with less emphasis on American or Western perspectives, especially regarding the implications of these strengthening ties.

While it mentions Trump's openness to dialogue and his inauguration, there is limited exploration of Western responses or reactions to the Russia-China alignment. This could lead to an imbalance by not providing a more comprehensive view of how these developments are perceived in the West. The absence of direct quotes from Western officials or analysis on potential impacts on Western interests could be seen as a gap in balance. Nevertheless, the story does not overtly favor one side over the other, maintaining a neutral tone in its presentation.

8
Clarity

The news story is written with a clear and professional tone, effectively conveying complex geopolitical dynamics in an understandable manner. The structure logically flows from Putin's call with Xi to the broader context of U.S.-Russia-China relations, allowing readers to follow the narrative without confusion.

The language is straightforward, avoiding overly technical jargon, which makes the story accessible to a general audience. While the story maintains a neutral tone throughout, it occasionally hints at speculative interpretations, such as the timing of the call being a coordinated signal, without explicit evidence. This could slightly detract from clarity for readers seeking purely factual reporting.

Overall, the story is well-organized and articulate, with minor areas where additional clarity could enhance reader understanding, particularly in distinguishing between verified information and interpretative analysis.

8
Source quality

The sources cited in the accuracy check are credible and authoritative, including well-known outlets like Chron.com, FOX 5 NY, and NDTV.com, which lend reliability to the story. These sources provide detailed reports on the events and statements from the involved leaders, ensuring that the information is trustworthy and well-substantiated.

The variety of sources, encompassing both Western and international perspectives, strengthens the credibility of the narrative. However, the story could benefit from even greater diversity in sources, particularly by including statements or reactions from U.S. or European officials to provide a more rounded picture. While the reliance on Russian state TV for Putin's remarks could suggest potential bias, the consistency of these remarks across multiple outlets mitigates this concern. Overall, the source quality is strong, but with room for enhancement through broader inclusion of perspectives.

7
Transparency

The news story provides a transparent account of the events, clearly outlining the basis for its claims with references to specific statements by Putin and Xi. The context of Putin's call with Xi following Trump's inauguration is well-documented, and the story cites sources like Russian state TV for direct quotes, which aids transparency.

However, the story could improve transparency by providing more background on the potential implications of Russia-China relations for global geopolitics. It does not delve deeply into the methodologies or sources of its analysis, such as how it interprets the timing of the call as a strategic move. Additionally, while it mentions Western sanctions and economic challenges, it lacks specific data or expert commentary that would provide more depth to these claims.

Despite these areas for improvement, the story remains largely transparent in its reporting, with a clear presentation of the main events and statements.

Sources

  1. https://www.chron.com/news/world/article/russia-s-putin-and-china-s-xi-emphasize-close-20046503.php
  2. https://www.fox5ny.com/news/trump-inauguration-day-2025-time-date-schedule-events
  3. https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/vladimir-putin-calls-xi-jinping-vows-to-develop-ties-hours-after-donald-trump-inauguration-7524622
  4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VciIg4WkkVg
  5. https://indianexpress.com/article/when-is/donald-trump-inauguration-speech-date-and-time-how-to-watch-live-streaming-9788634/