The Ink on Trump's 'Fantastic Deals' Isn't Even Dry

Trump flew home from Beijing on Friday claiming victory — 200 Boeing jets, soybeans, oil commitments. He called them "fantastic trade deals, really for both countries."

Then, less than 24 hours later, the Kremlin announced Putin is heading to that exact same city to meet that exact same man.

According to a Kremlin statement reported by AP News and confirmed by Politico, Putin's two-day visit is scheduled for May 19-20. That's four days after Trump's departure.

The Official Excuse Is Paper-Thin

Moscow says the timing is about the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Sino-Russian Treaty of Friendship. The treaty's anniversary. Sure.

The Kremlin also confirmed — per Daily Sabah — that Putin and Xi will sign a joint declaration at the conclusion of their talks. That's not a ceremonial visit. That's a working summit.

Putin will also sit down separately with Chinese Premier Li Qiang to discuss economic and trade cooperation. Bilateral agenda. Signed documents. A full diplomatic program.

This was planned well in advance. The Kremlin didn't scramble this together because Trump showed up.

What the Kremlin Actually Said

According to Breitbart's AP wire report, the Kremlin explicitly stated Putin "had watched President Trump's visit closely." They said that out loud. They wanted the world to know.

That's a message. To Washington. To Kyiv. To Brussels. To anyone watching.

We see what you're doing, and Xi talks to us too.

What Trump Got — and What He Didn't

The mainstream press is largely glossing over how thin Trump's Beijing wins actually were. Daily Sabah put it plainly: Trump left "without appearing to secure a breakthrough" on Ukraine or the Iran war. Both of those conversations with Xi ended without public commitments.

China made no formal announcement confirming the Boeing purchase. No binding trade framework was released. Trump's description of "fantastic deals" remains unverified by any Chinese government statement, according to Daily Sabah.

Putin walks in next knowing exactly what Trump asked for — and what Xi didn't officially promise.

Xi's Strategic Position

In the span of one week:

• The American president sat in the Great Hall of the People asking Xi for trade concessions and help ending two wars.
• The Russian president is now sitting in the same chair asking Xi to deepen their strategic partnership.

Xi gave Trump a grand reception. Xi called Putin an "old friend" during his last visit in September 2025, according to Breitbart. Putin called Xi his "dear friend."

Beijing is collecting relationships like chips and cashing none of them in.

Russia-Ukraine Context

While Putin books his Beijing flight, the war in Ukraine grinds on. According to Breitbart's reporting:

• Russia launched 294 drones overnight into Ukraine on Saturday. Ukraine shot down 269.
• Russian drones hit a five-story apartment building in Odesa. Two people injured. The city's port was damaged.
• Russia and Ukraine swapped 205 prisoners of war on Friday. Ukraine's Zelenskyy called it phase one of a planned 1,000-for-1,000 exchange.
• Russia also returned 528 bodies of fallen Ukrainian soldiers for identification.

Small prisoner swaps while drone attacks continue. That's not a peace process. That's conflict management at the margins.

Moscow has ruled out any ceasefire unless Kyiv accepts the Kremlin's maximalist demands, according to Daily Sabah. Zelenskyy asked Trump to raise Ukraine in Beijing. Trump raised it. Nothing came of it.

What Major American Coverage Is Missing

The New York Times and AP framed this primarily as a scheduling curiosity — a notable juxtaposition. The broader significance gets less attention. This isn't Xi being polite to two powerful leaders. This is Xi demonstrating that American diplomatic pressure has limits, and that limit is Beijing's relationship with Moscow.

China has never condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine. China denies supplying Russian weapons. China is Russia's largest trading partner — the economic lifeline keeping Putin's war machine funded despite Western sanctions, according to Politico.

Trump visiting Beijing doesn't change that equation. Putin visiting four days later proves it.

Questions About the U.S. Position

Breitbart ran the AP wire largely straight. The broader framing that Trump's Beijing trip was a win deserves scrutiny. If Xi is signing a joint declaration with Putin days after waving goodbye to Trump — and making no public commitments on the Boeing deals — what exactly did the U.S. get?

Vague promises aren't deals. Handshakes aren't frameworks. The pressure is on the administration to produce receipts.

The Diplomatic Reality

Xi Jinping just held court with the leader of the world's largest economy and the leader of the world's largest nuclear arsenal in the same week. He committed formally to neither. He extracted attention and legitimacy from both.

Trump needs Beijing more than Beijing needs Trump right now — on trade, on Iran, on Ukraine. Putin knows it. Xi knows it. Whether Washington is being honest with itself about that is another question.