March 20, 2023 - Xi and Putin meet in Moscow as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues

Our live coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine has moved here.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense said late Monday night that a strike hit and destroyed Russian Kalibr cruise missiles – while they were being transported by train –in the town of Dzhankoi in the north of Russian-occupied Crimea.

The strike serves to further “demilitarize Russia and prepare the Crimean peninsula for de-occupation,” Ukrainian authorities said.

Meanwhile, the Russian-installed head of the annexed peninsula confirmed there was a strike and that the air defense system in Dzhankoi was activated. One person was injured and two buildings were damaged in the strike, Sergei Askyonov said. 

The Russian-installed head of the annexed peninsula confirmed there was a strike and that the air defense system was activated. One person was injured and two buildings were damaged, Sergei Askyonov said. 

Amateur video geolocated by CNN shows a large explosion and resulting fireball. An individual is heard saying off-camera that the strike hit the train station. However, the video did not clearly show what had been hit, and CNN hasn’t been able to confirm the exact location of the strike.

Some background: “Dzhankoi and Gvardeyskoye are home to two of the most important Russian military airfields in Crimea,” the UK Ministry of Defense said in 2022. “Dzhankoi is also a key road and rail junction that plays an important role in supplying Russia’s operations in southern Ukraine,” it said.

China’s leader Xi Jinping underlined the country’s willingness to play a role in finding a political solution to Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to a readout of the meeting Xi had with Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday. The meeting marked the first of a three-day visit to Russia.

The readout, as published by Chinese state news agency Xinhua, said China and Russia “shared similar goals” and Xi and Putin “exchanged in-depth views on the Ukraine issue” during their conversation.

Xi emphasized that “voices of peace and reason are constantly gathering, and the majority of countries support easing tensions, advocating reconciliation and talks, and oppose fueling the fire,” according to the readout.

It also said “conflicts eventually need to be resolved through dialogue and negotiation,” reminding that China had recently issued a paper calling for a political solution to end the conflict, which the readout refers to as the “Ukrainian crisis.” 

The readout added that China’s proposal on a political solution “opposes Cold War mentality, and opposes unilateral sanctions” and it is “willing to continue to play a constructive role in promoting a political solution to the Ukraine issue.”

China’s readout said Putin appreciated China’s “fair, objective and balanced position” on international issues and that Russia “holds an open attitude towards peace talks, and welcomes China’s constructive role in that regard.”

Chinese leader Xi Jinping began a three-day visit to Moscow on Monday, his first since President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Talks between the two leaders lasted more than four hours and the leaders are expected to continue more formal meetings Tuesday.

Here are the latest headlines:

Moscow meeting: During the meeting, Xi told Putin that China and Russia have “similar goals” and he expressed support for Putin to be reelected. US officials, for their part, were paying close attention to the talks. John Kirby, the National Security Council communications coordinator, said the US remains concerned that Xi would reiterate calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine that would only benefit Moscow by allowing Russian forces to remain inside Ukrainian territory.

Tanks delivered: Norway delivered eight Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, the Norwegian Armed Forces announced. Training for Ukrainian soldiers on the tanks is underway in Poland. Last month, Norway announced its decision to send the German-manufactured tanks, with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre noting “several allied countries have also done the same.” At the beginning of February, the Norwegian government also announced it had decided to order 54 German Leopard 2 tanks to strengthen its own defense capabilities which were expected to be delivered in 2026.

Ammunition and aid for Ukraine: Eighteen European nations have agreed to jointly procure ammunition to “aid Ukraine and replenish national stockpiles,” the European Defence Agency said in a news release on Monday. The Biden administration also authorized an additional $350 million in security aid, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced. The Presidential Drawdown includes “more ammunition for U.S.-provided HIMARS and howitzers that Ukraine is using to defend itself, as well as ammunition for Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, HARM missiles, anti-tank weapons, riverine boats, and other equipment,” Blinken said in a statement.

For perspective: The US has committed more than $32 billion in Presidential Drawdown funds to aid Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began more than one year ago.

Latest on Bakhmut: The chief of Russia’s Wagner private military group Yevgeny Prigozhin said Monday in an open letter to the Russian defense minister that the mercenary force controls around 70% of Bakhmut. A months-long battle continues in the eastern city and earlier this month, Prigozhin acknowledged that the situation was “difficult, very difficult, with the enemy fighting each other for each meter.”

Also today:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said EU plans to accelerate the supply of ammunition to Ukraine gives him “confidence in our unity.” 

“This decision is worth 2 billion euros. It provides for both immediate delivery and production of ammunition. This is a strategic move,” he said in his nightly address on Monday.

“It gives us confidence in our unity, in the immutability of the progress towards victory over the terrorist state. I am grateful to all our partners in Europe. To all those who are truly committed to making Europe strong and free,” he added.

More on this: Earlier today, Estonia’s Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that following a meeting in Brussels, European Union member states agreed on the joint procurement of one million rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition for Ukraine. Seventeen EU member states and Norway agreed to jointly procure ammunition to “aid Ukraine and replenish national stockpiles,” the European Defence Agency (EDA) explained later in a news release.

In his nightly address, Zelensky also reiterated his thanks to the United States for its latest military aid package announcement. He called the $350 million package “all that is truly necessary to support our soldiers”.

The White House maintained its skeptical view of this week’s summit between Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, suggesting there was little evidence the talks could yield positive developments for Ukraine.

John Kirby, the National Security Council communications coordinator, told reporters the US remains concerned that Xi would reiterate calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine that would only benefit Russia by allowing Russian forces to remain inside Ukrainian territory.

He said there wasn’t evidence yet that Beijing was moving forward with providing Moscow with weapons, but he said the option hasn’t been taken off the table.

“We’ll see what they come out of this meeting talking about. I mean, we don’t know if there’s going to be some sort of arrangement, I would just tell you that we still don’t believe that China is taking it off the table,” he said.

He told CNN’s Phil Mattingly the US views Russia as China’s “junior partner.”

A prospective phone call between Xi and President Biden remains in the cards, but will only occur at the “most appropriate time,” Kirby said.

In the meantime, the administration still hopes for Secretary of State Antony Blinken to visit Beijing and is working on arranging economic visits by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to China.

US President Joe Biden is interested in talking again with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, according to John Kirby, the National Security Council strategic communications coordinator.

Xi is currently in Moscow on a three-day visit hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Nothing has been scheduled between the US and Chinese leaders yet, Kirby said. US officials want to make sure “it’s at the appropriate time,” he added.

Biden met with Xi for three hours in November on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali. It was their first in-person encounter since Biden took office. At the time, the president told reporters he was “open and candid” with Xi about the range of matters where Beijing and Washington disagree.

Kirby also said the US wants to reschedule Secretary of State Blinken’s visit to Beijing. It was postponed in February in response to the flying of a suspected Chinese spy balloon.

Blinken intends to travel to China “at the earliest opportunity when conditions allow,” a State Department official said last month, though the official did not elaborate on what conditions the US is watching for.

Kirby also said the US is having “active discussions” with China about Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo visiting the country.

President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday thanked President Joe Biden “and the American people” after the US administration authorized an additional $350 million in security aid for Ukraine.

“HIMARS rockets, 155mm shells, HARM missiles & other items worth $350 million are a great contribution to repelling the invaders,” Zelensky tweeted.

Some more on this: On Monday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the Biden administration has authorized an additional $350 million in security aid for Ukraine.

The aid includes “more ammunition for U.S.-provided HIMARS and howitzers that Ukraine is using to defend itself, as well as ammunition for Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, HARM missiles, anti-tank weapons, riverine boats, and other equipment,” Blinken said. 

Drawdown packages are pulled directly from US weapons stocks and can be shipped quickly to Ukraine. 

Blinken on Monday reiterated that the US will stand with Ukraine “for as long as it takes.”

There is currently no evidence that China is supplying weapons to Russia, a Ukrainian intelligence official said Monday.

“There are cases when (President Vladimir) Putin’s regime, the Russian Federation, purchases drones, civilian goods from open sources and uses microchips from those goods. However, no evidence of arms deliveries have been recorded. Ukraine is monitoring closely,” Andriy Yusov, a representative of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, told national television.

Yusov spoke as Putin was hosting Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a three-day visit to Moscow.

Western leaders have expressed skepticism about China’s potential role as a peacemaker and its claimed neutrality.

The United States and its allies have also been warning that China is considering sending lethal aid to Russia for its war effort, which Beijing has denied.

The United States hopes that Chinese leader Xi Jinping, during his meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, advocates for a resolution to the war in Ukraine that includes a complete withdrawal of Russian troops, the White House said.

John Kirby, the National Security Council strategic communications coordinator, pointed to China’s own peace plan that includes the principle of respecting the sovereignty of all countries.

He encouraged Xi to “advocate for this exact, essential key point, which must include the withdrawal” of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory “consistent with the UN charter.” Ukrainian leaders have also put together a peace plan “which draws again on the same UN principles,” Kirby said during a press briefing at the White House.

He said the war could end immediately if Putin withdrew troops from Ukraine.

“We are concerned that instead, China will reiterate calls for a ceasefire that leaves Russian forces inside Ukraine’s sovereign territory,” Kirby said. “Any ceasefire that does not address the removal of Russian forces from Ukraine would effectively ratify Russia’s illegal conquest,” he added.

On Monday, after Xi arrived in Moscow, US Secretary of State Blinken reiterated these concerns, saying any plans for a ceasefire without the removal of Russian forces would “allow President Putin to rest and refit his troops, and then restart the war at a time more advantageous to Russia.”

Talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping – who arrived in Moscow on Monday for a three-day visit – have concluded, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.

The talks lasted for 4.5 hours, according to RIA.

The two leaders are expected to hold further formal meetings tomorrow.

Norway has delivered eight Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, the Norwegian Armed Forces announced on Monday.

Training for Ukrainian soldiers on the tanks is underway in Poland, the Norwegian Armed Forces added.  

Norway last month announced its decision to send the German-manufactured tanks, with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre noting “several allied countries have also done the same.” 

At the beginning of February, the Norwegian government also announced it had decided to order 54 German Leopard 2 tanks to strengthen its own defense capabilities which were expected to be delivered in 2026.

More background on the tanks: Germany announced in January that it would provide Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv’s troops after weeks of geopolitical squabbling. The announcement was matched by the US, with President Joe Biden saying that he was providing 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine.

CNN’s Rob Picheta contributed reporting to this post. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow shows China’s intent to provide “diplomatic cover” for Russia’s “atrocities committed in Ukraine” instead of condemning them.

“That President Xi is traveling to Russia days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for President Putin suggests that China feels no responsibility to hold the Kremlin accountable for the atrocities committed in Ukraine, and instead of even condemning them, it would rather provide diplomatic cover for Russia to continue to commit those very crimes,” said Blinken at a news conference at the State Department on the release of the 2022 Human Rights Report.

However, Blinken said that “elements” of China’s peace proposal for the war were in line with efforts the US would support. 

“China’s proposal includes elements that we have long supported, including ensuring nuclear safety, resolving the humanitarian crisis, protecting civilians and, indeed, the first element calls for upholding sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all counties,” said Blinken.

But he said any calls for a ceasefire “that does not include the removal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory would effectively be supporting the ratification of Russian conquest” as it would “allow President Putin to rest and refit his troops, and then restart the war at a time more advantageous to Russia.” 

The chief of Russia’s Wagner private military group Yevgeny Prigozhin said Monday in an open letter to the Russian defense minister that Wagner forces control around 70% of the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.

A months-long battle continues in the city and earlier this month, Prigozhin acknowledged that the situation in Bakhmut was “difficult, very difficult, with the enemy fighting each other for each meter.”

“At the moment, Wagner units control around 70 percent of the city of Bakhmut and are continuing operations to complete the liberation of the city,” Prigozin wrote Monday in the letter published on Telegram. 

Prigozhin asked Shoigu to take measures to prevent a potential upcoming offensive by Ukrainian troops in late March or early April, which Prigozhin said will cut off Wagner forces from Russian troops in eastern Ukraine. 

What Ukraine is saying: Prigozhin’s comments come after Ukraine’s military on Saturday claimed Wagner mercenaries have suffered “colossal losses” in the battle for Bahkmut and have had to seek reinforcements from Russian paratroopers.

“According to what we see Bakhmut will be the last battlefield for the infamous military actions of PMC Wagner because of this extensive offensive, where they ‘throw in’ all of their mercenaries and then the ex-prisoners,” Serhii Cherevatyi, spokesperson for the Eastern Grouping of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said while speaking on national television. “Now we see that they are reinforced by units of the regular army. First of all, the airborne troops.” 

CNN is unable to independently verify Prigozhin’s claims or Ukrainian claims of Russian casualties.

Meanwhile, Prigozhin announced on Saturday that he plans to recruit about 30,000 new fighters by mid-May, according to a voice message published on Telegram.

Seventeen EU member states and Norway have agreed to jointly procure ammunition to “aid Ukraine and replenish national stockpiles,” the European Defence Agency (EDA) said in a news release on Monday.

Earlier Monday, Estonia’s Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that following a meeting in Brussels, European Union member states had agreed on the joint procurement of one million rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition for Ukraine.

“The project opens the way for EU Member States and Norway to proceed along two paths: a two-year, fast-track procedure for 155mm artillery rounds and a seven-year project to acquire multiple ammunition types,” the European Defence Agency said.

The 18 European nations include: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and Norway.

The EDA said that this project “sends a clear message to industry and strengthens the EU’s support for Ukraine following Russia’s war of aggression,” adding that more countries have expressed intent to join the initiative.

“Today, we take a step forward. We are delivering on our promises to provide Ukraine with more artillery ammunition. With today’s signature, 18 countries have signed up to aggregate orders and place them together with the industry through the European Defence Agency. The Ukrainian authorities have been clear about their needs and this EDA project is part of the EU response. By procuring together through the EDA framework and mobilising financial support from the European Peace Facility, we will deliver to Ukraine more and faster. We are again breaking a taboo and unlocking the potential of EU cooperation in joint procurement,” EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell said.

According to the EDA, the agency has been working since November of last year to identify critical shortfalls on three areas: ammunition, soldier systems and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) equipment.

This project provides a seven-year framework “to commonly procure multiple types and calibers of ammunition (5.56 mm to 155 mm) to replenish national stocks.”

The State Department’s human rights report this year highlights the war crimes and other atrocities committed by Russia in Ukraine which have resulted in “massive death and destruction,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken writes in the report’s preface.

“There were credible reports of summary execution, torture, rape, indiscriminate attacks, and attacks deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure by Russia’s forces in Ukraine, all of which constitute war crimes. The Russian government engaged in the forced deportation of civilians from Ukraine to Russia, often following a harsh and abusive “filtration” process, and there were numerous reports of forced deportations and adoptions of children from Ukraine,” the report says.

The report comes just days after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for an alleged scheme to deport Ukrainian children to Russia. It says that “thousands” of Ukrainians have been subject to forced deportation to Russia.

Russia’s authoritarian political system is “dominated by President Vladimir Putin,” the report says. But it does not draw specific connections between Putin and the war crimes committed in Ukraine.  

The report highlights the Kremlin’s efforts to shut down dissent, specifically highlighting the government’s “severe suppression of free expression and media,” use of “excessive force and other harsh tactics” to detain antiwar protestors, and specific efforts to penalize students who voiced opposition to the war. 

“According to human rights organizations, hundreds of university students were expelled during the year for their political views. For example, on March 9, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reportedly ordered Saint Petersburg State University to expel 13 students who participated in antiwar protests,” the report says.

The report says that Russian law enforcement officers used “torture, including sleep deprivation, as a form of punishment against detained opposition and human rights activists, journalists, and critics of government policies.”

The situation in the town of Avdiivka, located north of the city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, is “really difficult and hard to control,” Special Forces soldier Maj. Maksym Morozov told Ukrainian television on Monday.

Morozov, who is in the Avdiivka area, said Russian forces are “advancing despite huge losses” and are “pushing from both sides,” meaning the north and the south of the town.

“The situation in Avdiivka is getting more serious. The enemy is exchanging their massive losses for meters of our land. They are using enormous amounts of ammunition, striking both (our) positions and the city; there is a huge number of rocket strikes, air strikes, artillery (shelling),” he said.

“They are gaining success because they are attacking in waves — first there goes the ‘cannon fodder’ and then professionals are going behind them, the special forces who are trying to strike our firing lines,” he said.  

“Russians are using various tactics — night infantry attacks, armoured groups supported by a tank or aviation, rocket strikes. Our armed forces are bravely repelling the attacks,” Morozov added.

Meanwhile, Hanna Maliar, Ukraine’s deputy defence minister, said Monday that “the enemy offensive is ongoing in several directions,” noting offensive action in Bilohorivka, Avdiivka, Vuhledar and Mariinka. She said the Ukrainian army is “making progress in certain areas.”

Some background: There are about 2,000 civilians remaining in Avdiivka, according to Ukrainian officials. Several children had been evacuated, and over the past three weeks alone, 150 people had left the town, Vitaliy Barabash, head of the Avdiivka Civil-Military Administration, told local TV channel Espresso.

CNN’s Svitlana Vlasova and Tim Lister contributed reporting to this post.

The Biden administration has authorized an additional $350 million in security aid for Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Monday.

The Presidential Drawdown includes “more ammunition for U.S.-provided HIMARS and howitzers that Ukraine is using to defend itself, as well as ammunition for Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, HARM missiles, anti-tank weapons, riverine boats, and other equipment,” Blinken said in a statement.

Drawdown packages are pulled directly from US weapons stocks and can be shipped quickly to Ukraine. 

Blinken on Monday reiterated that the US will stand with Ukraine “for as long as it takes.”

“Russia alone could end its war today,” he said. “Until Russia does, we will stand united with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”

More context: The last Presidential Drawdown of US equipment for Ukraine was announced earlier this month, and was valued at $400 million. That package included, for the first time, Armored Vehicle Launched Bridges, a system used to launch bridges to cross trenches and narrow water obstacles.

The US has committed more than $32 billion in Presidential Drawdown funds to aid Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion began more than one year ago.

European Union member states have agreed on the joint procurement of one million rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition for Ukraine, Estonia’s Defense Minister said Monday.

Following a meeting with his EU counterparts in Brussels, Hanno Pevkur tweeted that “political consensus had been reached – 1 million rounds of 155mm to Ukraine.”

As the war stretches into its second year, Ukraine is burning through ammunition faster than the US and NATO can currently produce it.

Speaking after the meeting in Brussels, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said he was confident ammunition production can be increased quickly.

Pistorius said he will be awaiting offers from ammunition manufacturers until the end of March, noting the importance of speed when it comes to supplying Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told the meeting “the highest priority need is artillery ammunition. It is not only about the quantity, but also about the speed of delivery. The sooner we get as many shells as possible, the more lives will be saved,” according to a readout from the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. 

Before the meeting, the EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell told reporters he was confident production capacity could be increased to provide 2 billion euros (or about $2.1 billion) worth of ammunition.

“In order to increase our production capacity there has to be clear prospects for demand. That is why, there are three tracks that go together,” Borrell said, according to remarks published online. “First, the ones [ammunitions] that we already have. Second, the ones that have to be produced. Third, the industrial capacity to produce more. It is one after the other and all together, it makes a comprehensive and coherent package. Funding is there. Capacities are there. They have to be increased and Member States have to act together in order to be more efficient.”

The European Union’s 2 billion euro ammunition plan for Ukraine is “a very strong step to protect European security,” Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, tweeted Monday in response to the announcement.

The EU has not yet provided further details of the agreement.

China and Russia “share similar goals,” Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday during a visit to Moscow.

“It is true that both of our countries share the same, or some similar goals. We have exerted efforts for the prosperity of our respective countries…we can cooperate and work together to achieve our goals,” Xi said.

“I’m very happy that I can visit Russia again, at your invitation. And that Russia is the first country that I visited after my re-election as China’s President,” Xi told Putin.

Xi also expressed support for Putin to be reelected.

“I know that the Russia presidential election is next year. Russia’s development has significantly improved under your firm leadership. I believe that the Russian people will continue to strongly support you,” he said.

Xi said China “highly values” China-Russia ties and that both countries can cooperate to fulfill their development goals.

A delivery of German Marder infantry fighting vehicles is on its way to Ukraine, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on the sidelines of an EU Foreign and Defense Ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday. 

Germany announced in January it would provide Ukraine with 40 of the Marder vehicles. Later that month, it said Ukrainian soldiers had arrived in Germany for training on the vehicles.

More on the vehicles: The Marder is designed to move soldiers around the battlefield. It has been used by the German military since the early 1970s but continuously upgraded. The German military is in the process of phasing it out, but hundreds are still in service.

In remarks at the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“In the last few years, China has made a colossal leap forward,” Putin told Xi, sitting beside him. “In the whole world, this evokes interest, and unfortunately even envy.”

He continued, “Symbolically, we met here 10 years during your first visit as an elected representative of China. In this time, we made progress in relations. We have many common interests and goals.”

Putin also told Xi that Russia is ready to discuss Beijing’s proposals for resolving the crisis in Ukraine, saying that Moscow has “studied closely” the proposals.

“Of course, we will have an opportunity to discuss this issue. We know that you are based on the principles of justice and commitment to the fundamental points of international law,” Putin said. 

“You are also aware that we are always open to the negotiation process. We will certainly discuss all these issues, including your initiative,” he added.

Putin also said that he respects China’s balanced approach to the issue.

More on Beijing’s proposal: Western leaders have expressed skepticism about China’s potential role as a peacemaker and its claimed neutrality. The United States and its allies have instead since last month warned that China is considering sending lethal aid to Russia for its war effort, which Beijing has denied.

Watch the moment here:

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00:46 - Source: cnn

Chinese leader Xi Jinping is meeting with President Vladimir Putin now, according to Russian state media RIA Novosti.

The Biden administration said it is watching China’s President Xi Jinping’s trip to Moscow “very, very closely” as top officials express concerns about any calls for a ceasefire at this time.

“A ceasefire called right now would basically just ratify Russia’s conquest and give Mr. Putin more time to really equip and retrain and restart operations at a time and a place of his choosing,” John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, told Kaitlan Collins during an appearance on “CNN This Morning.”

He said the US would “reject” any calls for a ceasefire out of the high-stakes meeting as he reiterated that it would not be “in China’s best interest” to provide arms to Ukraine.

The Russia-China relationship, Kirby said, is “a marriage of convenience, not of affection.”

“These are two countries that don’t have a heck of a whole lot of trust between one another, but they find common cause in pushing back on the West, in pushing back on American leadership,” he said.

Kirby said the US has not seen any confirmation of a call between Xi and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, but encouraged a discussion.

“If you’re going to go to Moscow, and you’re going to sit down for three days with President Putin, and you’re going to get his perspective on a war that he started, and that he could finish today. You ought to pick up the phone at the very least, and talk to President Zelensky and get the Ukrainian perspective here,” he said.

Kirby downplayed Putin’s weekend trip to Mariupol, Ukraine, noting it was “far away from the front lines of the fighting” in Ukraine.

“It was a convenient excuse for him to go in advance of Xi’s visit to show that he’s still the commander-in-chief, that he’s still in charge, and that his military still has occupied territory inside Ukraine. There’s no doubt that, that he could see for himself — or we would hope that he would see for himself — how badly his military is actually doing where the fighting is actually occurring,” he said.

Russian forces continue efforts to cut off the town of Avdiivka — north of the city of Donetsk — and it may soon become “a second Bakhmut,” the Ukrainian military says.

“The enemy is constantly trying to surround the town of Avdiivka. I agree with my colleagues from the UK that Avdiivka may soon become a second Bakhmut — it is true,” Oleksiy Dmytrashkivskyi, a military spokesperson, told Ukrainian television Monday. But he added that Russia is “suffering quite serious losses,” claiming that it is using “the last of its reserves.”

“Over the past day, the enemy lost about three companies/rotas of personnel. All of these attacks are the same type. The enemy attacks from the same position, very predictably. So our guys manage to defend their positions,” he said.

Earlier Monday, the UK Defense Ministry said the Russian operation around Avdiivka near the city of Donetsk has made “creeping gains,” adding that the Russian attack has been “largely” carried out by the 1st Army Corps of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, made up of “local personnel who will know the terrain well.”

There are about 2,000 civilians remaining in Avdiivka, according to Ukrainian officials. Several children had been evacuated, and over the past three weeks alone, 150 people had left the town, Vitaliy Barabash, head of Avdiivka Civil-Military Administration, told local TV channel Espresso.

As Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Moscow, Ukraine has reiterated that any future peace plan must be predicated on the complete withdrawal of Russian forces from all Ukrainian territory.

China last month called for both sides to agree to a cessation of hostilities in a 12-point position paper outlining a “political settlement of the Ukraine crisis,” which it issued on the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale war.

Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, said Monday that the formula for the successful implementation of China’s “peace plan” would require Moscow to restore Ukraine’s “sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.”

“The first and foremost point is the surrender or withdrawal of Russian occupation forces from the territory of Ukraine in accordance with international law and the UN Charter,” Danilov said on Twitter.

Oleg Nikolenko, the spokesperson for Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, told CNN that “Ukraine is following closely the Chinese President’s visit to Russia. We expect Beijing to use its influence on Moscow to make it put an end to the aggressive war against Ukraine.”

Nikolenko added: “As Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stressed in a phone call with his Chinese counterpart last week, restoring territorial integrity of Ukraine should be at the core of every diplomatic effort. We stand ready to engage in a closer dialogue with China in order to restore peace in Ukraine in accordance with the principles enshrined in the UN Charter, and the latest UNGA resolution on this matter.”

More on China’s “peace plan”: In Beijing’s 12-point document, China’s Foreign Ministry called for a resumption of peace talks, an end to unilateral sanctions, and stressed its opposition to the use of nuclear weapons — a stance Xi communicated to Western leaders last year.

The plan is part of Beijing’s latest efforts to present itself as a neutral peace broker, as it struggles to balance its “no-limits” relationship with Moscow and fraying ties with the West as the war drags on.

But Beijing’s claim to neutrality has been severely undermined by its refusal to acknowledge the nature of the conflict — it has so far avoided calling it an “invasion” — and its diplomatic and economic support for Moscow.

CNN’s Olga Voitovych contributed reporting to this post.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said an anti-corruption court has confirmed the confiscation of assets in Ukraine found to belong to a prominent Russian oligarch.

The SBU said that the Anti-Corruption Court upheld the Ministry of Justice’s decision to transfer shares in a shopping mall that had belonged to Russian oligarch Arkady Rotenberg to the Ukraine state. It said the value of the seized assets was $300 million.

“It was established that Rotenberg is a member of the inner circle of the highest military and political leadership of Russia and was directly involved in the construction of the so-called ‘Crimean Bridge,’” the SBU said.

It also claimed that Rotenburg — a prominent Russian businessman with interests in energy and construction — managed shares in the Kyiv shopping center “through controlled commercial entities in Ukraine and abroad.”

Rotenberg controlled two-thirds of the mall shares through nominal Swiss owners, according to the Ministry of Justice.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has touched down in Moscow for his first visit to Russia since President Vladimir Putin launched his unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Beijing has cast the visit as a “journey of peace,” and the meeting between Xi and Putin is being closely watched by Kyiv and its Western allies.

The trip comes a day after a defiant Putin was seen visiting the Russian-occupied Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, in what appeared to be a direct rebuke of the International Criminal Court, which has accused Putin of war crimes and issued a warrant for his arrest.

If you’re just now catching up, here’s what you need to know:

The Kremlin has published a list of participants who will be joining meetings between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Tuesday, state news agency RIA Novosti reported, quoting Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy advisor.

According to the report, members will include: Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, head of the Central Bank of Russia Elvira Nabiullina, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, Yuri Borisov, and director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, Dmitry Shugaev.

“Six vice-premiers, presidential aide Maxim Oreshkin, Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov, Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Rosatom head Alexey Likhachev will also take part in the talks in an expanded format,” RIA Novosti reported.

The European Union’s foreign policy and security chief Josep Borrell has said that he hopes the bloc will agree a joint ammunition procurement deal for Ukraine on Monday.

The chief diplomat warned of “difficulties” in continuing to supply arms to Ukraine if an “important decision” was not reached on Monday.

Some context: EU defense ministers earlier this month provisionally agreed a €2 billion ($2.1 billion) plan to purchase 155-millimeter artillery shells, and send more artillery rounds to Ukraine from EU countries’ existing stockpiles. A final decision is expected on Monday on the sidelines of the meeting of EU foreign and defense ministers in Brussels.

Speaking in Stockholm on March 9, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said his country needed one million rounds of ammunition “as soon as possible” to deter Russian forces.

The Russia-Ukraine war marks the first time the EU has supplied lethal weapons to a third country, underscoring the extent of the threat it believes Moscow poses to its security.

With the Ukraine war now in its second year, the EU — alongside the United States and the United Kingdom, Kyiv’s other two main backers — has reaffirmed its solidarity with Kyiv.

That solidarity has translated into further commitments on military spending. In early February, the bloc announced that it would inject another €545 million ($575 million) into its €3.6 billion ($3.8 billion) military assistance fund for Ukraine.

And in January, Germany, France, Poland and the UK agreed to supply modern battle tanks to Kyiv, responding to a longstanding call by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, despite fears that such a move could inflame the West’s tensions with Russia.

A Russian deputy prime minister was present to greet Chinese leader Xi Jinping at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport upon arrival, television pictures showed.

Dmitry Chernyshenko, one of 10 deputy prime ministers of the Russian Federation, greeted Xi on the tarmac.

Xi is expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin after 4:30 p.m. local time (9.30 a.m. ET) Monday.

In a statement released Monday as he arrived in Moscow for a three-day visit, Chinese leader Xi Jinping reiterated his willingness to work alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin to “safeguard the international order.”

“China and Russia are both major powers in the world and permanent members of the UN Security Council, playing an important role in international affairs. In the face of a turbulent and changing world, China is willing to continue to work with Russia to firmly safeguard the international order,” the statement read. 

It added, “I look forward to exchanging in-depth views with President Putin on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues of common concern during the visit, so as to draw a blueprint for China-Russia strategic coordination and practical cooperation in the new era.”

Earlier Monday, in a signed article published in Russian state media, Xi framed his trip to Moscow as “a journey of friendship, cooperation and peace,” vowing to open “a new chapter” of bilateral relations.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that Putin will discuss the topic of Ukraine peace with Xi during the Chinese leader’s visit to Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was heckled during his surprise visit to the occupied southeastern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol on Sunday, just days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him.

In a video showing Putin meeting local residents, which was shared by Russian state media, a person can be heard yelling in the background: “This is not true, it’s all for show.” The president’s entourage quickly responds, attempting to locate the heckler.

In the same clip, a female resident refers to the nearby apartment block as “a little piece of heaven here now,” to which Putin replies that they plan to expand it. 

A man in the group of residents said: “We only saw you on TV so many times.” Putin tells him: “We need to start getting to know each other better.”

The city, the site of some of the fiercest fighting of the war and a heroic last stand by Ukrainian forces, has often been used for propaganda purposes since it was seized by Moscow last year.

Satellite images last May showed extensive excavation and the clearance of debris around the city, including at the bombed Mariupol drama theater. In the months since, Russian state media has released videos of areas that have been reconstructed, and Putin has released plans of how they will redevelop.

Reports of planned trials circulated last August after Russian media published images of cages under construction in Mariupol’s philharmonic hall, apparently intended to restrain Ukrainian prisoners of war captured during the siege of the Azovstal steel plant.

CNN senior international correspondent Ivan Watson has more:

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Russian President Vladimir Putin will discuss the topic of Ukraine peace with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to Moscow, the Kremlin said Monday.

“One way or another, the topics which are touched upon in [Beijing’s peace] plan, of course, will inevitably be touched upon during the exchange of views on Ukraine [between Putin and Xi],” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Putin and Xi are expected to have an “informal but very important” meeting Monday afternoon Moscow time, according to Peskov.

“The heads of state will raise the most pressing issues at their discretion,” he added.

Xi is expected to meet with Putin after 4:30 p.m. local time (9.30 a.m. ET) Monday.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has landed in Moscow for a three-day visit where he will meet with his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin. 

It is the first time China’s leader has visited his neighbor and close ally since Russia launched its unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Watch the moment here:

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Ukrainian officials on Monday said there have been further Russian strikes on towns and cities in the eastern region of Donetsk.

Russian forces launched a missile attack on Kramatorsk overnight that damaged properties, said Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of the Donetsk regional military administration.

One person was wounded in Kostantynivka, and three multi-story buildings were damaged.

Kostantynivka and Kramatorsk lie a few miles west of the heavy fighting in the Bakhmut area. Fierce fighting continues to the west and northwest of Bakhmut, with Russian forces and members of the Wagner paramilitary group trying to cut off access to the city.

Kyrylenko said the town of Avdiivka came under artillery and “Grad” rocket fire that caused unspecified damage.

UK briefing: While there has been little movement on much of the front line, the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence said the Russian operation around Avdiivka had made “creeping gains.”

The UK ministry said the Russian attack has been “largely” carried out by the 1st Army Corps of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, made up of “local personnel who will know the terrain well.”

“Avdiivka has been on the front line of the Donbas conflict since 2014; the city is now largely destroyed,” the UK ministry tweeted. “The sprawling Avdiivka Coke Plant complex is likely to be seen as particularly defendable key terrain as the battle progresses.”

China’s Foreign Ministry on Monday urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to take an “impartial stance” and “avoid politicization and double standards,” after it issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes.

“The International Criminal Court should uphold an objective and impartial stance, respect the jurisdictional immunity enjoyed by the head of state in accordance with international law, exercise its functions and powers prudently by the law, interpret and apply international law in good faith, and avoid politicization and double standards,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters during a regular briefing.

The ICC issued arrest warrants on Friday for Putin and Russian official Maria Lvova-Belova for an alleged scheme to deport Ukrainian children to Russia — a practice the Russian government has defended as saving them while denying that the deportations are forced.

The move has already made history by making Putin the first head of state of a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to be issued with an arrest warrant.

The charges are also the first to be formally lodged against officials in Moscow since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine last year.

The Kremlin on Friday rejected the arrest warrants as “unacceptable,” arguing that it is not subject to the ICC’s decisions.

For Chinese leader Xi Jinping, his high-profile state visit to Russia and meeting with President Vladimir Putin this week is a timely opportunity to showcase China’s growing diplomatic clout on the world stage and its ambition to challenge the US-led global order.

But in many Western capitals the optics of the visit will look very different — two autocrats who have long described themselves as firm friends shaking hands and banqueting while a conflagration in Europe rages.

Beijing has cast the visit as a “journey of peace,” where Xi is supposed to “play a constructive role in promoting peace talks” over the war in Ukraine.

And it comes just days after China scored a major diplomatic victory by brokering a surprise rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, helping the two archrivals restore diplomatic ties.

Yet hours after the announcement of Xi’s trip on Friday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin, accusing him of war crimes over Moscow’s forcible deportation of Ukrainian children.

China’s top leader will now be dining with a suspected war criminal whom he has called a “best friend,” and affirming his “no limits” partnership with a global pariah whose brutal invasion has killed tens of thousands of people and wreaked havoc on the global economy.

For the United States and much of Europe, Xi’s visit is a stark show of support for the increasingly isolated Putin, at a time when his military is running out of supplies and Russia’s economy is struggling under Western sanctions.

In recent weeks, Western officials have voiced concerns that China is considering providing lethal assistance to Russia’s military. Beijing has denied the allegation, and instead accused the US of prolonging the war by “adding fuel” to the battlefield and providing Ukraine with weapons.

American officials said they would be watching intently for signs that China is moving forward with providing weapons to Russia during Xi’s summit with Putin.

Ukraine is watching closely too.

“We really hope that China will not become an accomplice in this horrific war,” Oksana Markarova, Ukraine’s ambassador to Washington, told CNN. “It’s going to be a meeting with a person who’s officially suspected by the International Criminal Court.”

Read the full analysis here.

Ahead of his state visit to Russia Monday, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has praised Beijing’s growing ties with Moscow while also attempting to present China as peacemaker in the Ukraine war.

In an article published in Russian state media, Xi said China and Russia had “cemented political mutual trust and fostered a new model of major-country relations”.

“The bilateral relationship has grown more mature and resilient. It is brimming with new dynamism and vitality, setting a fine example for developing a new model of major-country relations featuring mutual trust, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation,” Xi wrote.

On Ukraine, Xi put China forward as a positive force for peace, crediting Beijing’s approach as “constructive in mitigating the spillovers of the crisis and facilitating its political settlement.”

Xi’s attempt to present China as a neutral peace broker comes as Beijing struggles to balance its “no-limits” relationship with Moscow and fraying ties with the West.

Last month, China’s Foreign Ministry released a position paper on the Ukraine war that called for a resumption of peace talks, an end to unilateral sanctions, and stressed Beijing’s opposition to the use of nuclear weapons — a stance Xi communicated to Western leaders last year.

But Beijing’s claim to neutrality has been severely undermined by its refusal to acknowledge the nature of the conflict — it has so far avoided calling it an “invasion” — and its diplomatic and economic support for Moscow.

Western officials have also raised concerns that China may be considering providing Russia with lethal military assistance, an accusation denied by Beijing.

Putin’s remarks: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday praised China for its “readiness to make a meaningful contribution to the settlement of the [Ukraine] crisis” in an article published on the Kremlin website.

The article, written for a Chinese audience and titled “Russia and China: A Future-Bound Partnership,” celebrated the recent deepening of ties between the two countries.

The Russian leader also blamed Ukraine for the failure of peace talks and took aim at the NATO alliance.

“Unlike some countries claiming hegemony and bringing discord to the global harmony, Russia and China are literally and figuratively building bridges,” he said.
“I am convinced that our friendship and partnership based on the strategic choice of the peoples of the two countries will further grow and gain strength for the well-being and prosperity of Russia and China.”

US President Joe Biden said last week he was planning to speak “soon” with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

But before his staff even began planning for the call, another meeting was taking shape: The Chinese government announced Xi plans to travel Monday to Russia for a three-day summit with President Vladimir Putin, as Xi works to cast himself as a potential peacemaker in the Ukraine war.

In Washington, officials view Xi’s intentions with deep skepticism; China has refused to condemn the war and instead claimed Moscow was provoked into invading Ukraine. After China announced Xi’s visit to Russia by saying he was traveling “for the sake of peace,” the White House worked to preempt attempts to frame the Xi-Putin meeting as a peacemaking mission, suggesting any framework offered by Beijing would be weighted toward Russia and bad for Ukraine.

“As they begin to plan out their agenda, we certainly want to express how concerned we would be by any proposals from (China) that would … be one-sided and reflect only the Russian perspective,” said John Kirby, a spokesperson for the National Security Council.

He said such a Chinese proposal could include some type of ceasefire, which he said would merely provide a way for Russia to regroup before launching a reprisal.

The Putin-Xi summit itself did not come as a surprise to the White House, since there have been reports such a meeting could occur for weeks. Still, there remain deep concerns the “no limits” partnership Xi and Putin have cemented during previous meetings could deepen during face-to-face talks.

And there is a growing fear that further Chinese intervention in the conflict would fundamentally change the battlefield dynamics – or at least prolong the war at a moment when political appetite in the West for supporting Ukraine is being tested.

Read more here.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited his international “best friend,” China’s leader Xi Jinping, to Moscow for a three-day state visit beginning Monday.

There’s sure to be plenty of glad-handing, champagne toasts, a major press conference and — behind closed doors — serious discussion.

For Xi, it’s a high-profile trip: his first state visit to any country since being appointed to an unprecedented third term in office. Kremlin officials say the two leaders will be signing “important documents” that will “deepen relations” and solidify economic cooperation. But for both men, this trip is much more than just another chapter in what they both describe as a “no limits” friendship.

For Putin, it’s a welcome show of support from his biggest ally after a year of military failure to attain his so-called goal of “de-Nazifying and de-militarizing” Ukraine. Putin’s army is burning through military hardware, ammunition — and men.

He has reached out to North Korea and Iran for weapons and drones, but getting more weapons, ammunition and perhaps drones from China would be a major victory for the Russian president.

However, that could be a hard sell.

Read the full analysis here.

A woman who survived last year’s bombing of a packed theater in Mariupol likened Russian President Vladimir Putin’s overnight visit to the occupied city to “when a serial killer returns to the place of the crime.”

CNN’s Ivan Watson previously spoke to Maria Kutnyakova in March last year, after she managed to escape Mariupol to Ukrainian-controlled territory with her family.

Speaking with Watson again by phone Sunday, Kutnyakova said Putin had visited Mariupol at night “because they didn’t want to shoot the real footage of the destroyed city.”

“They didn’t want to show that Mariupol is still a catastrophe. There are a lot of destroyed buildings. That people live in a bad situation,” said Kutnyakova, who now works online for a Ukrainian NGO from the safety of Vilnius, Lithuania.

“Russian propaganda showed this image of a few buildings that they built. They want to let people believe that in Mariupol now is very nice, beautiful place. But it’s not,” Kutnyakova said.

She told CNN prices in Mariupol are “crazy,” that people in the city have no medicine or heating, and that problems persist with communications, electricity, water and gas.

Kutnyakova said all 15 of her relatives and several close friends who lived in Mariupol have left the city. She said her family has been unable to locate her uncle since last spring, and they fear he may have died.

About the bombing: About 300 people died when Russian forces bombed the Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theater in Mariupol, which had been functioning as a shelter for residents, according to city leaders.

The March 16, 2022, bombing was among the most brazen of Russia’s attacks on civilians in its initial offensive.

Before the attack, the word “CHILDREN” had been painted on the ground outside the building in giant Russian letters. As many as 1,300 people were sheltering inside.

Russia denied its forces hit the theater, claiming a regiment in Ukraine’s army had blown it up. Moscow made similar claims — without providing evidence — about the bombing of a maternity hospital in Mariupol that occurred about a week prior.

The southeastern city has been under Russian control since May 2022.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping is set to meet with President Vladimir Putin Monday in his first visit to Russia since Putin launched his devastating invasion of Ukraine more than a year ago.

The visit will be seen as a powerful show of Beijing’s support for Moscow in Western capitals, where leaders have grown increasingly wary of the two nations’ deepening partnership as war rages in Europe.

It will also be Xi’s first foreign trip since securing an unprecedented third term as president at the annual meeting of China’s rubber-stamp legislature last week.

Here’s what’s on the agenda: China’s Foreign Ministry said the visit will take place from Monday to Wednesday at the invitation of Putin and confirmed the war in Ukraine would be a core part of the talks.

The Kremlin released the schedule of meetings planned between Xi and Putin. The two leaders will start Monday with a one-on-one followed by an “informal lunch,” with negotiations set to take place Tuesday, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

And Yuri Ushakov, the Russian president’s adviser on international relations, said Putin and Xi will sign documents attesting to closer ties between the two nations, and plan to discuss the war in Ukraine.

“Moscow highly appreciates the balanced position of the Chinese leadership,” Ushakov told Russian state media outlet TASS. “Russia and China are satisfied with the highest level of relations that continue to develop, Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow will give them a new impetus.”

China’s Foreign Ministry said the meetings will work toward ending the conflict.

Three people were killed in an attack on a residential building Sunday in the Zaporizhzhia region of southern Ukraine, according to Ukrainian officials.

The attack by Russian forces with “Grad” rockets on the village of Kamianske also wounded two others, who are now receiving medical treatment, the Zaporizhzhia regional military administration said in a Telegram post.

The Ukrainian officials emphasized the danger to civilians still living near the conflict’s front lines and urged them to evacuate.

“The danger for civilians on the front line does not disappear. The enemy is not successful on the battlefield with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, so it is deliberately killing Ukrainian civilians,” the military administration said.