China’s Xi leaves Russia after giving Putin a major boost, but no public promise of weapons [Video]

China’s President Xi Jinping left Moscow Wednesday morning after a closely watched, highly choreographed visit that saw him stand shoulder to shoulder with Vladimir Putin just days after an international arrest warrant was issued for the Russian leader for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. In a display of unity and an apparent swipe at Western nations that have helped Ukraine fight Russia’s invasion, including the U.S., the men signed a joint statement saying it was necessary to “respect legitimate security concerns of all countries.”

What the world saw of Xi’s long anticipated visit was meticulous stagecraft designed to portray a counterforce to the U.S.-led NATO alliance of the West. Russia declared last yearthat it was building a new “democratic world order” with China, and as the two men walked toward each other down long rugs to meet in the center of an ornate, palatial hall in Moscow for a firm handshake, the signal to the …