China's panda diplomacy puts a smile on 'best friend' Putin's face

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping visit the Moscow Zoo, which received a pair of giant pandas from China, in Moscow, Russia June 5, 2019. Sputnik/Alexander Vilf/Kremlin via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping presented two pandas to Moscow's zoo at a ceremony with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, in a gesture the Russian president described as a sign of deepening trust and respect between the two powers.

Xi unveiled the pandas - Ru Yi and Ding Ding - after talks with Putin whom he called his "best friend" at the start of a three-day visit that will see him attend Russia's flagship economic forum in St Petersburg later this week.