Putin’s two-day charm offensive with Xi underlines who’s boss

Kremlin toasts the Russian-Chinese partnership, which appears warm but far from equal

Standing alongside Xi Jinping in the 15th-century Chamber of Facets, one of the most historic ceremonial venues at the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin raised his glass of white wine.

He proceeded to make a toast to the “health of our great friend Xi and the deepening of the Russian-Chinese partnership”, before ending his speech with the phrase ganbei, Chinese for “empty glass”.

Xi Jinping invites Vladimir Putin to China at Kremlin meeting – video

Xi Jinping has invited Vladimir Putin to visit China this year in a symbolic show of support after the international criminal court issued an arrest warrant for Russia’s president over accusations of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children.

Putin and Xi held a second day of talks after Putin said he was open to discussing China’s proposals on putting an end to the fighting in Ukraine and the US called on Xi to press him to 'halt the war crimes'.

Xi’s trip to Moscow has been viewed as a major boost for Putin amid international condemnation over his invasion of Ukraine

• Russia-Ukraine war: latest updates
• Xi invites Putin to China in show of support as Moscow talks continue

Xi Jinping will get Putin’s ‘view’ of war in Ukraine, says Kremlin official – video

Vladimir Putin will provide Xi Jinping with 'clarifications' on Russia's point of view on the Ukraine conflict during the Chinese leader's state visit to Russia, the Kremlin has said. 

During a call with reporters, the Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said the two presidents would discuss themes in the peace plan for Ukraine proposed by China.

This is China’s president first visit to Russia for four years and will last three days.

• Russia-Ukraine war: latest updates

China’s Xi Jinping arrives in Moscow to meet Vladimir Putin – video

The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, arrived in Moscow to meet Vladimir Putin, days after the international criminal court charged the Russian president with war crimes in Ukraine.

Xi and Putin declared they had a 'no-limits friendship' before the February 2022 attack on Ukraine, but Beijing has tried to portray itself as neutral in the conflict

This is China’s president first visit to Russia for four years and will last three days

• Russia-Ukraine: latest updates

Putin welcomes China’s willingness to play ‘constructive role’ in solving ‘Ukraine crisis’

Russian president says he has high hopes for ‘good old friend’ Xi Jinping’s impending visit to Moscow

Vladimir Putin has welcomed China’s willingness to play a “constructive role” in solving in what he called the Ukraine “crisis”, in an article released on the eve of a visit by his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

In what the Kremlin said was an article written for a Chinese newspaper on Sunday, the Russian president called Xi his “good old friend” and said Russia had high hopes for his visit, the Chinese leader’s first to Russia since Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine last year.