A political analyst weighed in on Wednesday on Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming two-day China trip. Putin is going to the country after it became "the major partner for Russia amid its war of aggression against Ukraine," said Alexander Gabuev, the director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center. Putin's trip starting on Thursday comes as his country’s forces pressed an offensive in northeastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv region that began last week in the most significant border incursion since the so-called "special military operation" began, forcing almost 8,000 people to flee their homes.