Ukraine-Russia war latest: Xi warns Putin that world at risk of reverting to ‘law of the jungle’ at Beijing summit – UK Times

Two industrial sites in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region were on fire on Wednesday, after a drone attack, the regional governor said in a statement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday, days after Xi had talks with US President Donald Trump.

– The leaders will sign joint statements and a number of other bilateral agreements, with economic cooperation in focus.

– They they have an opening ceremony for a bilateral education initiative.

– Putin will meet Chinese premier Li Qiang to discuss trade and more economic cooperation.

– Putin and Xi will have a tea session to discussion foreign issues, according to a Kremlin aide.

Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, said Russia is also considering the possibility of joint projects with the US and China.

China’s China Central Television is reporting that the large-scale meeting between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping has ended.

At least two people were killed and 19 injured in Russia attacks ⁠on Ukraine overnight, local officials said this morning, while Ukraine sent drones to strike industrial areas in central Russia.

In Ukraine, two people were dead and six injured after Russia hit the southeastern city of Dnipro with missiles, drones and artillery, local authorities said ⁠on Telegram.

Another 13 injuries were reported ​in ⁠the northern Sumy region and the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia, including three children, authorities added.

Russia’s defence ministry claimed its forces downed 273 ⁠drones over the country overnight, TASS state news agency said.

In Russia, drones attacked industrial areas around Nevinnomyssk in the southern Stavropol region, its governor said on Telegram, adding there was no damage reported so far but the attacks were continuing.

The area is home to Nevinnomyssky Azot, a large chemical plant, which has been a target of drone attacks from Ukraine before.

US president Donald ⁠Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff ⁠will ​visit ⁠Russia in ⁠the “near ​future”, according to a senior Russian official.

Vladimir Putin’s special ‌envoy, Kirill ⁠Dmitriev, made the remark during Vladimir Putin’s visit to China on Wednesday, according to a Kremlin ⁠pool ‌reporter.

Dmitriev has been a key figure in talks between the US and Russia aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.

Nato’s top military officer said he doesn’t expect any more drawdowns of American troops from Europe — at least not anytime soon — beyond the 5,000 that US president Donald Trump announced would leave the continent.

The remarks by US Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich follow Trump’s surprise announcement of the move early this month. The US leader has bickered with allies over the Iran war and called for changes.

The Pentagon later said it would draw down thousands of troops in Europe by canceling deployments to Poland and Germany as opposed to yanking out forces already stationed there.

Trump’s announcement blindsided Nato and came despite US promises to coordinate military moves with its allies and avoid creating security gaps.

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping have wrapped up the first meeting of their summit in Beijing, where they exchanged warm words regarding their two countries’ relationship.

The two lauded the progress in their strategic ties, as they met in Beijing for summit talks where Moscow is expected to push for stronger energy links.

Here’s what Xi and Putin told each other:

• Putin called the talks substantial, and told Xi that his aim is to enhance the well-being of both Russians and the Chinese people
• Putin called the bilateral partnership “exemplary” and vowed to continue its development
• Xi told Putin that China and Russia relations had entered a new stage progress and that their foundation of mutual trust is growing stronger
• The Chinese leader said he would unswervingly promote long-term, healthy and stable development
• Putin assured Xi that the two countries would work together on international platforms

It’s getting harder for officials in the Kremlin to cast the war in Ukraine – now in its fifth year – as something so distant that it doesn’t affect the daily routines of Russian civilians.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky cast the attack in Moscow’s suburbs as a just retribution for the relentless and deadly Russian missile and drone strikes on the capital of Kyiv and other cities last week.

China’s armed forces secretly trained about 200 Russian military personnel in China late last year and some have since returned to fight in Ukraine, according to three European intelligence agencies and documents seen by Reuters.

The covert training sessions, which predominantly focused on the use of drones, were outlined in a dual-language Russian-Chinese agreement signed by senior Russian and Chinese officers in Beijing on 2 July last year.

While China and Russia have held a number of joint military exercises since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Beijing has repeatedly stated that it is neutral in the conflict and presents itself as a peace mediator.

The agreement, reviewed by Reuters, said about 200 Russian troops would ⁠be trained at military facilities in locations including Beijing and the eastern city of Nanjing. The sources said around this number subsequently trained in China.

The agreement also said hundreds of Chinese troops would undergo training at military facilities in Russia. By training Russian military personnel at an operational and tactical level who then participate in Ukraine, China is far more directly involved in the war on the European continent than previously known, one intelligence official said.

The Russian and Chinese defence ministries did not respond to requests for comment on the details outlined in this article.

“On the Ukraine crisis, China has consistently maintained an objective and impartial stance and worked to promote peace talks, this is consistent and clear and is witnessed by the international community,” China’s foreign ministry said in a statement to Reuters.

“Relevant parties should not deliberately stoke ⁠confrontation or shift blame.”

The intelligence agencies spoke on condition they not be identified in order to discuss sensitive information.

European Union governments are discussing whether former European Central Bank president Mario Draghi, or former German chancellor Angela Merkel, could represent the bloc in potential negotiations with Russian president Vladimir Putin, the Financial Times reported this morning.

Foreign ministers ‌will discuss the merits of ⁠possible candidates at an EU meeting in Cyprus next week, the report said, citing ‌people familiar with ​the ‌matter.

The Independent has not verified the report.