Mongolia is hosting Russian President Vladimir Putin for his first visit since the onset of the Ukraine conflict. This represents Putin’s fifth visit to Mongolia. The purpose of the visit includes a ceremony on Tuesday commemorating the 1939 victory of Soviet and Mongolian forces over the Japanese army, which had seized control of northeastern China’s Manchuria. This historical battle resulted in significant casualties over the months-long conflict surrounding the border dispute between Manchuria and Mongolia.
This year marks notable anniversaries, including the 85th anniversary of the Battle of the Khalkh River, the 75th anniversary of the Ulaanbaatar Railway Association—a collaborative effort between Mongolia and Russia—and the fifth anniversary of the Agreement on Friendly Relations and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations.
The Kremlin confirmed on Monday that Putin’s state visit comes as discussions continue on a new gas pipeline intended to link Russia and China through Mongolia. This pipeline aims to transport 50 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas annually from Russia’s Yamal region to China.
The ambitious project, known as Power of Siberia 2, is integral to Russia’s efforts to offset the decline in gas sales to Europe since the start of the Ukraine crisis. This new pipeline will succeed the existing Power of Siberia pipeline, which is expected to reach a capacity of 38 bcm per year by 2025 and currently supplies Russian gas to China.
