Russian president Vladimir Putin welcomed Chinese leader Xi Jinping to the Kremlin on Monday 20 March, in a visit meant to send a powerful message to Western leaders allied with Ukraine that their efforts to isolate Moscow have fallen short.

The two leaders have described Mr Xi’s trip as a chance to deepen their “no-limits friendship”.

As he greeted his Chinese counterpart, Mr Putin said he welcomed Beijing’s plan for “settlement of the acute crisis in Ukraine”.