If President Xi appears to stand too close to Putin, it could cause friction with Europe at a time when it is looking for friendship. But the Chinese leader has another key message to send.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held bilateral meetings in Moscow, emphasizing an alliance they claim will create a multipolar world order. Xi’s four-day trip to Moscow started on Wednesday and coincides with Russia’s 80th-anniversary commemorations of the end of World War II.