THE leaders of Russia and China pushed back against pressure from the United States today and declared their opposition to any expansion of Nato.

Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping issued a joint statement to highlight the “interference in the internal affairs” of other states as both leaders continue to face criticism from the West over their foreign and domestic policies.

The statement said: “Some forces representing a minority on the world stage continue to advocate unilateral approaches to resolving international problems and resort to military policy.”

It accused Nato of espousing a cold war ideology and said that the pair are concerned about the Aukus security pact between the US, Britain and Australia.

Mr Putin expressed support for Beijing’s One China policy, but the statement did not refer to current tensions over Ukraine.

The two leaders are aiming to project themselves as a counterweight to the US and its allies as the threat of armed conflict increases.

China and Russia are committed to “deepening back-to-back strategic co-operation,” Mr Jinping was quoted as telling Mr Putin.

“This is a strategic decision that has far-reaching influence on China, Russia and the world,” he said, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

Faced with a “complex and evolving international situation,” the two sides “strongly support each other” in confronting what Mr Jinping called “regional security threats” and “international strategic stability.”

The statement was made as Mr Putin visited China during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games.

The US, Britain and other nations have refused to send officials in protest at alleged Chinese human rights abuses.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that they would visit Moscow in the coming weeks to seek to deter Mr Putin from ordering an invasion of Ukraine.