Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for formal discussions on Thursday for the first time since President Donald Trump intensified the U.S.-China trade conflict last month. During the meeting’s opening statement, Xi expressed his commitment to support his anti-Western ally against “power politics” and “bullying on the international stage.” “Eighty years ago, the peoples of China and Russia made tremendous sacrifices to secure a great victory, contributing an indelible chapter to the cause of world peace and human progress,” Xi stated, as reported by the South China Morning Post. Russia, China, Iran and North Korea have since deepened ties in an alliance that has increasingly concerned Western partners, though the Trump administration has looked to step away from these divisions in what some have argued could weaken U.S. ties with Washington’s long-standing allies. Putin said the ties strengthened during its war years were “one of the fundamental foundations of modern Russian-Chinese relations”. “Together with our Chinese friends, we firmly stand guard over the historical truth, protect the memory of the events of the war years, and counteract modern manifestations of neo-Nazism and militarism,” he added in reference to one of his long-debunked claims used to justify his illegal invasion of Ukraine. According to Russian news outlet TASS, both Xi and Putin pledged to help play a role in the Trump administration’s push to form a new nuclear agreement with Iran. While both were key players in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which Trump abandoned in 2018, it remains unclear how they intend to participate in this round of negotiations facilitated by Oman. “The parties intend to play an active creative role in the settlement around the Iranian nuclear program, emphasizing that it will contribute to maintaining the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, peace and stability in the Middle East,” the readout said. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s questions regarding any potential China-Russia involvement in the talks.