The new alliance with China and other autocratic regimes is doomed to failure. The Russian economy before the war was smaller than that of Italy, or even the state of Texas in the US. China is very dependent upon trade with the west to fuel its economy. At best, Russia will be a very junior partner to China’s global ambitions. If faced with the choice of having trade severely restricted with the rest of the world or unconditionally backing Russia, it is obvious which way China will go. They at heart are pragmatic even though they have an autocratic leader who has political sympathies for Putin. The economics and world dynamics are against the success of this new alliance that Putin desperately hopes for. At best, China views Russia as a source of more oil and other mineral resources. I would not be surprised to see China attempt to annex certain eastern territories of the Russian Federation to fuel its continued growth. There is little that Russia could do if this were to come to pass. Russia needs China. China does not need Russia. This is hardly an equal partnership in spite of Putin’s delusions of grandeur.