MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin told his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Monday that Russia was open to discussing China’s proposals to end the fighting in Ukraine at the start of high-stakes talks in the Kremlin. The summit comes as China seeks to portray itself as a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict, but Washington warned the world should not be fooled by Beijing’s moves.

Xi’s three-day trip also serves as a show of support for internationally isolated Putin, just days after a war crimes tribunal issued a warrant for his arrest over accusation of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children.—AFP