Putin responds to rumored military alliance between Russia and China

He said this in an interview with one of the Russian propaganda TV channels. 

"We are not creating any military alliance with China. Yes, we have cooperation in the field of military-technical cooperation. We do not hide it. Everything is transparent, there is nothing secret. We are conducting exercises. By the way, we are still conducting exercises not only with China but also with other countries, even despite the events in Donbas, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson," Putin said. 

• On January 27, US National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby said that Washington had warned China against supporting Russia in the war against Ukraine.

• On February 22, the Chinese Foreign Ministry denied that the country would supply Russia with lethal weapons. 

• On Monday, March 20, Chinese President Xi Jinping held an informal meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow. 

• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested that the Chinese leader's visit to Moscow indicates Beijing's intention to provide "diplomatic cover" for "the atrocities committed by Russia in Ukraine" instead of condemning them.