Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to secure Chinese approval for the long-awaited Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline during talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday. According to The Washington Post (WP), this deals a setback to Moscow’s efforts to deepen Beijing’s energy dependence on Russian exports.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Putin had traveled to Beijing hoping to win final backing for the massive infrastructure project, which would transport around 50 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas annually to China via Mongolia. However, the meeting ended without a formal agreement or timeline, and no breakthrough was announced. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said only a “general understanding” had been reached on the project’s outline, including its route and construction principles, while key commercial and technical details remain unresolved. “In fact, [Putin] said during the talks that there is already a general understanding of the main parameters of Power of Siberia 2,” Peskov told reporters. “Some details still need to be finalized.” Analysts say the stalled pipeline reflects China’s cautious approach, balancing its energy needs with geopolitical risks, even as Russia seeks deeper economic reliance with its eastern partner. Despite the lack of progress on the pipeline, Xi and Putin projected unity during their meeting, presenting their partnership as a stabilizing force in global affairs and sharply criticizing Western influence.