Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleRussian President Vladimir Putin met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing for a summit, described as an intimate gathering between “old friends”, to discuss key international issues and sign a 47-page document outlining various bilateral commitments. China's foreign ministry vehemently denied reports that Xi Jinping had told Donald Trump that Putin might come to regret invading Ukraine, with a spokesperson saying the information was “completely fabricated out of thin air”. European intelligence agencies reported that China secretly trained about 200 Russian military personnel, predominantly in drone usage, with some subsequently returning to fight in Ukraine, based on a dual-language agreement signed in July last year. During the high-level talks, Xi Jinping urged an end to the US and Israel's war on Iran, highlighting its critical importance for reducing disruption to energy supply stability and the international trade order. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine saw two people killed and 19 injured in Russian attacks on the southeastern city of Dnipro and other regions, while Ukraine launched drone strikes on industrial areas in central Russia. In fullUkraine-Russia war latest: Xi tells Putin it’s ‘imperative to end fighting’ in Middle East – but stays silent on UkraineThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

China’s deep relationship with Russia remains a continuing cause for concern in the west, particularly since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine

Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing less than a week after U.S. President Donald Trump concluded his own visit to China, highlighting…