China–Russia, drones and strikes

China and Russia tightened their public alignment this week as Britain expanded drone support for Ukraine and fighting between Israel and Hezbollah kept the Middle East on edge. (yahoo.com) (gov.uk) (usnews.com) On April 15, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Beijing that the two countries should “trust and support each other,” deepen cooperation and defend each other’s interests. Xi also called China-Russia ties a source of “stability” and “certainty” in a turbulent international situation. (usnews.com) The meeting came as Britain announced its biggest drone package for Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion, with at least 120,000 drones due for delivery in 2026. The Ministry of Defence said Defence Secretary John Healey was traveling to Berlin on April 15 to co-chair the 34th Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting with Germany, Ukraine and NATO. (gov.uk) In Lebanon, Israel carried out its largest coordinated strike of the current war on April 8, hitting more than 100 Hezbollah command centers and military sites in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon within ten minutes, according to the Israeli military. Reuters reported that Lebanon’s civil defence service said 254 people were killed and more than 1,100 wounded across the country. (usnews.com) The three developments are linked by the same pressure points: Russia’s war in Ukraine, Western military support for Kyiv, and a wider contest over how much room China, Russia, Israel and Iran-aligned groups have to shape events by force. Beijing has tried to expand ties with Europe and Asian neighbors this year, but Xi used Lavrov’s visit to show that Moscow remains central to China’s diplomacy. (yahoo.com) Britain’s drone decision also reflects how the Ukraine war has changed military procurement. London said the package would include “cutting-edge battlefield technology,” and it follows earlier British commitments that made drones a core part of Ukraine aid, including a 30,000-drone coalition package announced in January 2025. (gov.uk 1) (gov.uk 2) China and Russia have described their partnership in expansive terms since the two sides declared a “no limits” relationship in February 2022, days before Russia invaded Ukraine. Since then, European sanctions packages have increasingly targeted third-country entities accused of helping Russia sustain its war economy, including companies tied to drones, military equipment and critical components. (state.gov) (consilium.europa.eu 1) (consilium.europa.eu 2) Israel says its Lebanon campaign targets Hezbollah infrastructure embedded in civilian areas, while Hezbollah says its attacks are a response to Israeli and U.S. military action in the region. Human Rights Watch said the April 8 strikes damaged the last main bridge linking southern Lebanon with the rest of the country and warned that access to aid, food and health care could be cut for tens of thousands of people. (al-monitor.com) (usnews.com) (hrw.org) For now, the clearest near-term moves are concrete: Xi and Putin are expected to meet later this year, Britain says drones will keep flowing to Ukraine in 2026, and the Israel-Hezbollah front remains active after the deadliest day of that war on April 8. (usnews.com) (gov.uk) (usnews.com)