Part 4/10:
What cemented the Putin-Xi alliance was the Biden administration’s weaponization of the global financial system against Russia. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the West imposed sanctions, attempting to cripple Russia's economy by cutting it off from international financial networks like SWIFT. Undeterred, Russia pivoted eastward, turning to China and India for economic support, notably demanding payment for exports in rubles and forging agreements on alternative financial platforms like China's Kips, which now rivals SWIFT.