China stepped up its backing of Russia in 2025 in connection with Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine, Bloomberg reports, citing sources within European government circles. According to those officials, Beijing may deepen cooperation with Moscow even further in the near future.

The agency’s interlocutors say Chinese President Xi Jinping is showing growing determination to support Russian President Vladimir Putin. Against this backdrop, European representatives acknowledge that it is becoming increasingly difficult for Brussels to persuade Beijing to use its influence to help bring hostilities to an end.

Bloomberg’s sources describe China as one of the decisive factors shaping the trajectory of the conflict in Ukraine. The report notes that behind closed doors, assessments of Beijing’s role are voiced in far harsher and more pessimistic terms than in the public statements made by Western leaders.

According to the same sources, at the initial stage of Russia’s special military operation, the Chinese leadership was wary of providing assistance to Moscow due to the risk of economic repercussions. Over time, however, Beijing revised its approach and began to view the situation as strategically advantageous.

This shift, the sources suggest, is linked to the fact that Europe’s focus has moved to the Ukrainian direction rather than Asia. At the same time, relations between the United States and several of its European allies have grown more strained.