Huge KFC order seen outside Xi Jinping’s hotel in Moscow

Food and drink

By News.com.au

March 24, 2023 | 12:22

It seems that C’s entourage was craving some scrumptious fried chicken during their Recent stay in Moscow.

KFC takeout bags were seen delivered to the luxury hotel where chinese delegation was staying for the leader’s three-day visit.

Russian state media agency Ruptly, which is part of the RT network, reported that the delegation headed to the five-star Soluxe hotel in Moscow. after arriving on Monday.

After his arrival, a delivery man brought at least 18 bags of fast food to the hotel, which was festooned with Russian and Chinese flags.

Although the recipients of the food were unknown, the outlet noted that the Chinese delegation had just arrived.

Xi held two days of talks with his Russian counterpart this week in Moscow, his first visit since Vladimir Putin unleashed his war on Ukraine in February last year.

KFC is one of the franchises that withdrew from Russia after the invasion. The fast food conglomerate Yum! Brands sold its restaurants to a Russian operator who had allegedly renamed them Rostic’s.

However, according to the images, the previous branding, including the iconic Colonel Sanders logo, was still used and visible on the take-out bags.

Several commentators found it amusing that Chinese officials, who have held the US responsible for a variety of global problems, might have chosen a US fast food chain while visiting Russia.

Analysts have said there are no signs the Chinese president’s visit to Moscow will slow Putin down in his war against Ukraine, even if it again highlights an unequal relationship in which Russia is clearly the junior partner.

Every aspect of the couple’s body language was analyzed to try to determine the intentions of the two leaders.

Xi, carrying what has been described as a plan to end the conflict, presented himself as a mediator concerned with maintaining stability.

But Putin could only take heart from Xi’s expressions of support and the sheer tokenism of a visit in person, even as Russia faces growing reliance on China as Moscow becomes more isolated from the West.

The visit came just after The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin, the biggest legal challenge the Russian leader has ever faced.

“Xi’s visit it has emboldened Putin, especially after the arrest warrant from The Hague,” said Liana Fix, a fellow for Europe at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).

China’s peace plan was “obviously very much in Russia’s favor,” he said, adding that Beijing was ready to give Moscow “time to end the war in its favor,” albeit with implicit endorsement rather than proactive support.

“Certainly Putin would have wanted more, especially in a gas deal with China, but the optics of the visit were so important to him that he accepts Russia’s increasing dependence on China,” he said.