Chinese president Xi Jinping told Donald Trump that Russia‘s Vladimir Putin could come to regret invading his smaller neighbour Ukraine, according to a new report on last week’s summit in Beijing.
The report emerged just hours before Putin is due to arrive in Beijing for his own two-day summit with Xi.
The FT reported that Xi made the remarks during wide-ranging talks between the US and Chinese delegations in Beijing, while Trump suggested that the three leaders should co-operate against the International Criminal Court.
Putin said ahead of his visit today that Russia and China are ready to support each other on a wide range of issues, including national unity and protection of sovereignty.
The Kremlin says the two sides will discuss the proposed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, which could one day deliver an additional 50 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas per year from Russia‘s Arctic gas fields via Mongolia to China.
Russia has ‘serious expectations’ for Putin’s trip to China, says Kremlin
Russia has “very serious expectations” for president Vladimir Putin’s trip to China this week, the Kremlin said on Monday.
The two sides will use it to develop their privileged partnership, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
Putin is to visit Beijing on Tuesday and Wednesday, arriving just days after Donald Trump departed the Chinese capital.
The Russian delegation will include relevant deputy prime ministers, government ministers and company heads, Peskov told reporters.
Moscow says Ukraine peace process is paused
Moscow expects the Russia-Ukraine peace process to be resumed but it is currently paused, the Kremlin said on Monday.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was commenting on remarks by Donald Trump that deadly Russian strikes on Ukraine could set back peace efforts.
Trump suggested to reporters on Friday that a Russian missile strike on a Kyiv apartment building that killed 24 people, including three children, had delayed efforts to reach peace in the four-year conflict.
Peskov said attention should be paid to ongoing strikes by Ukraine on civilian targets in Russia. Moscow faced its biggest drone attack in over a year at the weekend, with at least three people killed in the wider region around the capital.
Turkey has potential to influence Ukraine and Iran wars, German minister says
Turkey can exert influence over the wars in Ukraine and Iran, German foreign minister Johann Wadephul said on Monday, adding the European Union and Ankara should strengthen strategic ties.
“If Turkey wishes to join the European Union, it will find a friendly and reliable partner in Germany,” Wadephul said. However, in order to join the union, Turkey must meet all the criteria, he added.
“Turkey has the potential to exert considerable influence on these trouble spots, not only because of its geographical proximity, but also because of its enormous political and economic significance,” Wadephul told reporters at a press conference with Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in Berlin.
It was desirable to keep strengthening strategic relations between Turkey and the European Union, he added, with Germany advocating that Turkey be considered in the development of the EU’s defence and industrial policies.
Watch: Putin heads to China summit just days after Xi and Trump meeting
Belarus launches joint drills with Russia to practise nuclear weapons use
Belarus said on Monday it launched joint drills with Russia to practice the use of nuclear weapons that Moscow has deployed on the territory of its neighbour and ally.
Belarus’ authoritarian president Alexander Lukashenko has allowed Russia to deploy some of its tactical nuclear weapons to his country. In December, Russia also announced that its latest intermediate range nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system entered service in Belarus, which borders Ukraine and Nato members Poland, Latvia and Lithuania.
The Belarusian defence ministry said that the drills will involve missile units and warplanes.
“During the exercise, in cooperation with the Russian side, it is planned to practise the delivery of nuclear weapons and preparations for their use,” the ministry said in a statement. It said the drills will focus on training forces to move covertly across large distances.
It said the manoeuvres had been planned in advance and weren’t aimed against any third countries.
Russia attacks Ukraine’s Danube port city
A Russian air attack damaged port infrastructure in Ukraine’s Izmail city in the early hours today, while Russian authorities said they had downed four drones launched by Ukraine that were headed towards Moscow.
Izmail, home to the largest Ukrainian port on the Danube River, is a frequently hit strategic location.
“Port infrastructure facilities in the city of Izmail were damaged,” local officials said on Telegram, adding that nearly all aerial attack weapons were destroyed.
“Fortunately, there were no casualties or significant destruction.”
The Telegram post showed firemen battling a fire at a building that had had its windows blown out.
British soldier jailed by Russia for fighting in Ukraine says he feels abandoned
A former British soldier who was captured by Russian forces while fighting for Ukraine and has been jailed for 15 years says he feels abandoned by the UK government.
Hayden Davies, 30, was accused by Moscow of being a “paid mercenary” who fought in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, where fierce fighting continues.
He was arrested more than 18 months ago after joining the Ukrainian army’s foreign legion as a volunteer.
He has shared details of his loneliness and harsh treatment in a Russian maximum security prison with the BBC, adding that he has not been contacted by representatives of the UK government.
“I served my country for 12 years in the [British] Army, and now, when I need help and medical treatment, no-one wants to know. This is a disgrace!” he told the BBC.
However, a UK Foreign Office (FCDO) spokesperson told the BBC: “We remain in close contact with Hayden Davies’ family and are providing consular support. We strongly condemn the sentencing of Mr Davies in a Russian-controlled court on false charges of mercenaryism.”
Putin leaves for China and says Moscow and Beijing ready to back each other
Russia and China are ready to support each other on a wide range of issues, including national unity and protection of sovereignty, president Vladimir Putin said in a video address ahead of a visit to China starting today.
Putin said the relations between Russia and China have reached an “unprecedented level” of mutual understanding and trust, as he prepared to meet Chinese president Xi Jinping for talks.
The countries are ready to cooperate on mutually beneficial and equality-based principles and “to support each other on issues affecting the core interests of the two countries, including the protection of sovereignty and national unity”, Putin said. He did not provide any further details.
Russia and China are actively expanding ties in economy, politics and defence, he said, adding that “a close” and “strategic” connection between Moscow and Beijing was playing “a stabilising role” in global relations.
“We are not aligning against anyone, but working for the cause of peace and universal prosperity,” Putin said.
Russia’s long-range strikes on Ukraine continue as dozens injured
Russia targeted eight regions of Ukraine in its nighttime drone and missile barrage yesterday, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said as local authorities reported that the strikes wounded more than two dozen civilians, including three children.
Russian forces fired 524 attack drones and 22 ballistic and cruise missiles, Zelensky said.
The city of Dnipro and the surrounding central region of Ukraine bore the brunt of the attack, officials said.
The barrage continued a recent spiral of long-range strikes that have grown in scale following a 9-11 May ceasefire that US president Donald Trump said he asked Zelensky and Russian president Vladimir Putin to observe but which had little impact.
There is no sign a peace deal is taking shape despite US diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s invasion.
Russia hammered Ukraine over several days last week, flattening a Kyiv apartment building where 24 people died.
Russia’s Yaroslavl region under drone attack, governor warns
Ukrainian drones attacked Russia’s Yaroslavl region northeast of Moscow, governor Mikhail Yevrayev said this morning.
He asked drivers in the area to steer away from the capital or use alternative routes to avoid coming under attack or falling debris.
Russia downed a number of Ukraine drones heading towards Moscow, the city’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram yesterday.
Arpan Rai19 May 2026 04:22NewerOlder