Ukraine: The Latest - Will Putin attempt to repair Russia's image by using Israel-Palestine?

 Ukraine: The Latest - Will Putin attempt to repair Russia's image by using Israel-Palestine?

The finest journalists at The Telegraph examine the Russian invasion of Ukraine daily and provide you with all the information you need.

On today's episode of the Telegraph's Ukraine: The Latest podcast, Francis Dearnley speaks with foreign policy analyst and historian James Carafano, as Ukraine attacks Russian airbases. Vladimir Putin also meets Xi Jinping in China.

Francis Dearnley, the assistant comment editor for The Telegraph, focuses on today's meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin:  

The fact that Putin is visiting a major world power for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine indicates that the ice that previously surrounded him is now beginning to melt. For a summit of Xi's historic initiative, the Belt and Road Initiative, which Beijing is contentiously exploiting to increase its global influence, China is hosting representatives from 130 nations.

Putin is the most prominent invitee, presumably hoping to strengthen ties with Russia at a meeting that will unavoidably be overshadowed by the Israel-Hamas conflict. 

Francis adds when asked whether the two leaders would likely address the Middle East conflict: 

Following Putin's conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday, in which he expressed Moscow's desire to assist in averting a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, we do understand that Putin and Xi may address that dispute during their meeting in Beijing.

His spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, reaffirmed Putin's position today that the United States' failed Middle East policy is to blame for the upsurge in violence, saying that the tragedy is playing out as a consequence of the nation's dismissive approach to the issue. There are no surprises with the message they are putting out there. 

But I don't want to convey the false impression that Russia is somehow responsible for the events in the Middle East by focusing on them here. They continue to be a minor player at the moment, but as we discussed last week, there are many benefits for them if the region becomes unstable, including diverting attention away from the conflict in Ukraine and, I believe most importantly, giving Putin the chance to reassert his dominance on the international stage by making phone calls and overtures to world leaders who may now welcome him and be more willing to engage with Russia. This is a component of Moscow's larger plan to repair its image and portray itself as a nation that is concerned about humanitarian crises.

Use the audio player at the top of this page or your preferred podcast program to listen to Ukraine: the Latest, a daily podcast from The Telegraph.

The conflict in Ukraine is changing the globe. The top journalists at The Telegraph analyze the invasion from various perspectives each daily, including military, humanitarian, political, economic, and historical ones, and they provide you with the information you need to keep current.

Our Ukraine: The Latest podcast, which has received over 55 million downloads, is your go-to source for the most recent analysis, real-time commentary, and correspondents reporting from the scene. Since the full-scale invasion started, we have been transmitting.

Ukraine: Regular contributors to The Latest include:

John Knowles

David has been employed at The Telegraph for over three years and now serves as the Head of Audio Development. During the massive invasion, he reported from all around Ukraine. 

Nicholls, Dominic

In 2018, Dom joined The Telegraph as an Associate Editor (Defence). He previously served in tank and helicopter regiments for 23 years in the British Army. He was operationally stationed in Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, and Iraq. 

Dearnley, Francis

Francis works as The Telegraph's assistant comment editor. He served as the Chair of the Prime Minister's Policy Board's chief of staff in the London Houses of Parliament prior to beginning his career as a journalist. At the podcast, he examines how historical events might provide light on current diplomatic, political, and strategic developments. He studied history at Cambridge University.

Additionally, The Telegraph's foreign journalists from all around the globe, including Joe Barnes (Brussels), Nataliya Vasilyeva (Russia), Sophia Yan (China), Roland Oliphant (Senior Reporter), and Colin Freeman (Reporter), often join them. Weekend Foreign Editor Venetia Rainey, Assistant Foreign Editor Katie O'Neill, and News Reporter Verity Bowman all commonly appear to provide updates in London.