Russia/Ukraine
Kevin Rudd: Xi thinks Putin is a "dummy"
Kevin Rudd: Xi Thinks Putin Is a “Dummy” | Asia Society | GZERO Media
November 09, 2022
Australia's former PM believes that the once-blossoming bromance between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin has turned toxic. Why? You guessed it: Russia's war in Ukraine.
China's leader thinks Putin is a "dummy" for launching a "halfcocked" invasion that neither the Russian military could pull off nor the Russian economy afford, Rudd — also president and CEO of the Asia Society — says during a conversation with Eurasia Group President Ian Bremmer at the Asia Society's HQ in New York.
While Xi won't break ranks in public, Rudd adds that in private, he’s "crab-walking away from 100% endorsement" of Russia, as we saw at the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Uzbekistan.
As for whether China can deter Russia from using nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Rudd says Xi has been clear: don't do it, Vladimir.
From Your Site Articles
- Ukraine throws wrench into China-Russia friendship ›
- China-Russia relationship status: It’s complicated ›
- Xi Jinping & Vladimir Putin: No trust among autocrats ›
- What We're Watching: Putin-Xi meeting, Brussels vs. Budapest, Sweden's next government, Japanese yen in trouble, ›
- Kevin Rudd: Nobody wanted Putin at the G-20 anyway - GZERO Media ›
- Xi & "friend" Putin could call for Ukraine ceasefire - GZERO Media ›
More For You
With close ties to both the US and China, can Singapore survive in an increasingly fragmented and chaotic world? Singapore’s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam joins Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World Podcast.
Most Popular
Think you know what's going on around the world? Here's your chance to prove it.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping, ahead of a bilateral meeting in Beijing, China, on January 29, 2026.
Carl Court/Pool via REUTERS
This week, Prime Minister Keir Starmer became the first UK leader to visit China in eight years. His goal was clear: build closer trade ties with Beijing.
Igmel Tamayo carries charcoal to sell on the side of a road for use as cooking fuel in homes, after US President Donald Trump vowed to stop Venezuelan oil and money from reaching the island as Cubans brace for worsening fuel shortages amid regular power outages, on the outskirts of Havana, Cuba, on January 12, 2026.
REUTERS/Norlys Perez
© 2025 GZERO Media. All Rights Reserved | A Eurasia Group media company.