MOSCOW, February 2. /TASS/. Russia and China are preparing many gas agreements to the Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing, Kremlin Aide Yury Ushakov told reporters, adding that they will become a new step in the expansion of the relationship between the two countries in this area. He was not ready to provide comments on the documents that are being finalized, in detail though.

"But in the gas sector many agreements are being prepared. I cannot say so far, which of them will be signed. But the visit will obviously mark another step in the development of gas cooperation," the Kremlin aide noted.

Asked whether the absence of Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller in the Russian delegation means that there are no agreements with the company’s participation among the documents being readied, Ushakov said that "Energy Minister [Nikolay Shulginov] is on the Russian delegation."

"If the visit took place in a calm atmosphere, if there was no coronavirus, our delegation would consist of 20-25 people. However, now due to obvious reasons the visit will be held with the delegation consisting [of] six people. This was the condition of the Chinese side," he explained.