Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed today that he will attend the opening of the Winter Olympics to be held in Beijing from February 4 to 20 next year, in a summit videoconference with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. .

“I believe in February next year we will finally be able to meet face-to-face in Beijing. According to the agreement, we will carry out negotiations. Then we will participate in the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics,” the Kremlin chief said.

He stressed that Russia and China support each other on issues of international sports cooperation, including “rejecting any attempts to politicize Olympic sport and movement.”

“I have no doubt that the next Winter Olympics will be held at the highest level. China knows how to do it,” the Russian president said.

In turn, Xi indicated, according to a Russian translation, that he “excitedly awaits the Olympics meeting” with Putin.

“I am ready to join hands with you, to open a new page together in post-pandemic Sino-Russian relations,” the Chinese president said.

The United States, Canada, Australia and Britain announced a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics over human rights abuses in China, a move also being studied by the European Union.

Russia, sanctioned for state doping, will participate in the Beijing Olympics under the banner of the Russian Olympic Committee and when its athletes take to the podium instead of Russia’s national anthem, Piano Concert No. 1 Tchaikovsky will sound.