On Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to land in Russia for three days of discussions on cooperation between the countries. Xi thus becomes the first world leader to shake hands with Putin after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against the Russian president.
"The most important thing is to show the West and the rest of the world that Russia is not alone and isolated – and that the West's attempts to isolate Russia are not working," says Hugo von Essen, an analyst at the Center for Eastern European Studies.
Although the relationship between the countries is growing stronger, it will be more uneven at the same time as the West's sanctions against Russia have meant that the country is dependent on trade with China, which has increased by about 30 percent since last year.
"It is primarily China that buys oil and gas from Russia, and it is clear that Russia is dependent on that trade when the West has turned its back on Russia," says SVT's Asia correspondent Tilde Lewin.
Not likely with arms exports
In Ukraine, the meeting is causing concern. The worst possible thing would be if the war worsens and if China will supply Russia with weapons. However, that is not seen as very likely given China's relationship with the West, according to Tilde Lewin.
Instead, China wants to stay neutral and see itself as "a peacemaker," and in February Xi unveiled a so-called "peace plan" aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
"One thing that many have pointed out is that Xi Jinping has turned in strong terms against talking about nuclear weapons, so perhaps that affects Putin.