Putin should be under no illusion – Xi is not Russia's knight in shining armour

The three-day visit of Xi Jinping to Russia was packed with action: a crepe and quail meal, photo ops and ceremonial signings. Pomp and circumstance aside, Xi's visit to Russia did not live up to Putin's hopes and expectations. As it turns out, the obvious similarities between the two leaders - their autocratic hold on power and their tenuous relationship with the west - do not directly translate into common interests and goals. Xi came and went, making no firm commitments and leaving Putin and his cronies agape with disappointment. Russian hopes for this visit could not have been any…