James Landale
Diplomatic correspondent

Image source, Reuters

The government in Kyiv is taking a cautious approach to President Xi’s visit to Moscow.

There has been no angry condemnation, no criticism directed at China’s leader for giving President Putin such a diplomatic boost.

Instead, political leaders in Kyiv have publicly restated the common ground they have with Beijing, namely the importance of countries respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, the first item on China’s 12-point position paper seeking a political settlement to the war.

And privately Kyiv has continued lobbying for a meeting - or at least a telephone conversation - between President Zelensky and Xi.

Ukraine’s fear is that China’s support for Russia – currently financial, economic and technological - might become military, potentially including artillery shells.

This is the moment Russia's President Vladimir Putin welcomed his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to the Kremlin.

Today's meeting is an informal one-to-one before talks between the pair and officials from the two countries begin tomorrow.

Image source, Getty Images

China's president arrived in Moscow after brokering a thaw between two historical rivals of the Middle East; Saudi Arabia and Iran.

A week ago, both countries agreed to restore diplomatic relations, announcing they would reopen embassies within two months and re-establish trade and security relations.

Saudi Arabia had cut ties in January 2016 after demonstrators stormed its embassy in Tehran following Riyadh's execution of a prominent Shia Muslim cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.

We don’t know if mediation between Russia and Ukraine is a priority on Xi’s agenda, but it’s worth remembering that China proposed a peace deal about the same time as China’s mediation helped to build a serious momentum between the Sunni and Shia-led neighbours in the Gulf.

Dr Yu Jie
Senior research fellow on China at Chatham House

Image source, Getty Images

This visit comes at an extremely sensitive time, when the Kremlin is seeking to have even greater support from China since Russia invaded Ukraine.

However, judging by the written statements that President Xi and President Putin respectively placed in each other's state media this morning, there are some differences in what Beijing and Moscow want to achieve.

For Moscow, Putin is of course keen to signal that China has his back and would like to portray this visit as a full endorsement of its invasion. Beijing, however, comes with two purposes for the visit.

Firstly, while the costs of aligning with Russia could easily outweigh the benefits for China, one must remember that China’s reasons for maintaining good relations with the Kremlin go beyond the war in Ukraine. Most notably the two countries share a border of 4300km, roughly equivalent to the width of Europe - the frontier’s exact location was not even finally settled until the beginning of this century. So Beijing would like to stabilise this relationship.

Secondly, Xi has just scored a massive diplomatic victory in mediating Iran and Saudi Arabia to resume diplomatic ties. He might well want to utilise this momentum to explore the opportunity to mediate between Russia and Ukraine.

However, given China's close ties with Russia, this could discount any mediation efforts from Beijing being seriously considered by the Ukrainians.

There are some more lines coming out of the first meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the former's state visit to Moscow.

Xi says he's convinced Putin will have the support of the Russian people at next year's presidential election.

Putin has been Russia's dominant political figure since his election as president in 2000, serving two terms and then a four-year stint as prime minister, before resuming the presidency in 2012 and winning re-election in 2018.

We're hearing the beginnings of these talks between the Chinese and Russian presidents.

Vladimir Putin has told Xi Jinping that he looked at China's proposals for a resolution of the Ukraine conflict (we reported on that earlier, here) and viewed them with respect. He also said they'd have "an opportunity to discuss this issue" during Xi's state visit.

Russian state TV is showing footage of the pair meeting at the Kremlin, with Putin being filmed telling his Chinese counterpart: "Dear friend, welcome to Russia."

"I know that you personally and all our Chinese friends... take a fair and balanced view of the majority of topical international issues," Putin goes on

Xi tells Putin their countries "should have close relations" before congratulating the Russian leader for his "strong leadership" which he says has allowed Russia to prosper, according to quotes by Reuters.

Xi Jinping has arrived at the Kremlin for his meeting with Vladimir Putin, as first reported by Russia's state-owned Ria news agency.

We'll bring you more from the meeting as soon as we have it. For now, here's the first picture of the leaders together.

Just a reminder that it's thought today's meeting will be an informal one-to-one before official talks begin tomorrow, followed by a press conference.

Image source, Reuters

We're still waiting for the moment Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin meet for the first time on this trip - or at least, for the moment where we get to see them together for the first time.

Until then, we have some pictures of Xi's arrival in Moscow, including some souvenirs being sold at a Russian gift shop to mark the occasion.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

Image source, EPA

In the last few minutes, both the UK and Ukrainian governments have urged China's Xi Jinping to use his trip to Russia to bring an end to the war in neighbouring Ukraine.

Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said Xi's trip was being "closely" watched - and told various news agencies that his country expected the Chinese leader to use his "influence on Moscow to make it put an end to the aggressive war against Ukraine".

In a similar tone, a Downing Street spokesperson said Xi should use his visit to encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw his troops from Ukraine and "cease bombing Ukrainian cities, hospitals, schools and to halt some of these atrocities".

Earlier on, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin's spokesman, said issues raised in China's peace plan will be discussed during the negotiations, "one way or another".

Ece Göksedef
Live reporter

As we've been reporting, Xi Jinping’s visit comes as China - an ally of Russia - takes on an increasingly vocal position on the Ukraine war. Here’s a look at some of the other major geo-political players in the conflict.

Russia’s other allies: Iran has supplied drones to Moscow’s campaign of terrorising people in Ukraine and targeting critical infrastructure. Former Soviet country Belarus has not only helped with weaponry, but has also opened its territory for Russian army units to cross into the north of Ukraine.

Image source, Getty Images

Ukraine’s allies: The US and UK have provided the largest amount of military aid to Kyiv’s war effort - supplying weapons, training and funding. Poland has provided its neighbour with weapons - including the latest decision to send four MiG-29 fighter jets - and encouraging its Nato allies to do the same.

Mediators: Turkey hosted the first minister-level meeting between Russia and Ukraine after the war started. It also played a big part in brokering the grain deal. Israel helped with keeping the communication channels open between Kyiv and Moscow. However, peace talks have been frozen without agreement since September.

Image source, EPA

This is the question on many people’s minds - probably none more so than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has stressed that he doesn’t want China to supply arms to Russia.

He has asked to meet Xi Jinping a few times since the war broke out, though this hasn’t happened yet. US media reports suggest the Chinese leader will speak to Zelensky virtually after his Russia trip but this hasn't been officially confirmed.

Not long after Xi landed in Moscow, the secretary of Ukraine's national security and defence council tweeted, suggesting China's 12-point peace plan to help resolve the war misses out some key details.

Oleksiy Danilov said the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine's territory should be the "first and main" clause of the proposal. It currently says nothing of the kind - only that the "sovereignty of all countries" should be respected.

The Kremlin has said Xi and Putin will discuss the plan. We'll bring you more on what they say when we have it.

Stephen McDonell
Reporting from Beijing

Officially Xi Jinping's visit to Russia is to promote bilateral ties between two neighbours - "good neighbours", as described by Xi himself when he landed in Moscow earlier - and certainly these governments say they are becoming ever closer.

There are agreements to be signed, meals to be had, photo opportunities to be staged.

All governments have such visits, so why all the attention on this one?

Well, for one, this is the leader of one of the world's two great superpowers visiting an ally - who happens to be the person who has unleashed a bloody invasion of another country in Europe - in 2023.

Many analysts have pondered what China might do if it looks like Russia is facing a clear, humiliating defeat on the battlefield.

The Chinese government says it is neutral. Would it just step back and let that happen, or start pumping in weapons to give the Russian army a better edge?

Xi and his Russian counterpart may speak about other things, but all the attention will be on the Ukraine crisis.

His signals to Vladimir Putin can only go three ways:

1. Time to consider pulling back with some face-saving compromise
2. Green light to keep going or even go in harder
3. Nothing either way from China's leader

When Xi leaves Moscow in a few days, Putin will either be worried about wavering Chinese support or buoyed by the backing of one of the two most powerful people on the planet.

The smart money seems to be on the latter.

Image source, Russian Pool

We've just seen China's leader Xi Jinping touch down in Moscow, where he was greeted by a military brass band and Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko.

Not far away the man he's in town to see, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, was addressing an annual gathering of his interior ministry.

Xi and Putin are due to meet later today for what's been described as an informal meal and one-to-one conversation. Official talks will take place tomorrow.

President Xi has now arrived - and here's the first look that we promised.

He walked down the red carpet placed on the aeroplane's steps before stopping to talk to a group of assembled reporters and dignitaries.

"I am confident the visit will be fruitful and give new momentum to the healthy and stable development of Chinese-Russian relations," Xi's quoted by the AFP news agency as saying. He also reportedly described the two countries as "reliable partners".

There's more now from China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin, who we heard from a little earlier.

At a press conference, convened as Xi Jinping was making his way to Russia, Wang was asked about reports that Chinese ammunition has been used by Russia in Ukraine.

He took the opportunity to remind reporters that it was the US, not China, suppling weapons to battlefields in Ukraine. "The US side should stop fuelling the fires and fanning the flames... and play a constructive role for a political solution to the crisis in Ukraine, not the other way around," he said.

There is concern by some world leaders that China will supply arms to Russia following a “no limits”, external partnership agreed by the two counties shortly before the Ukraine conflict began.

China has denied any plan to send weapons, and criticised the West for its weapon supplies to Ukraine.

Wang also said Xi's visit was a "trip for friendship, cooperation and peace".

Image source, EPA

Following the news that Xi Jinping has just arrived in Russia, let's have a look at an issue that'll likely be at the centre of his talks with Vladimir Putin.

Less than a month ago China published a 12-point peace plan in an attempt to resolve the war in Ukraine, calling for peace talks and respect for national sovereignty.

But the document does not specifically say that Russia must withdraw its troops from Ukraine, and it also condemns the usage of "unilateral sanctions", in what is seen as a veiled criticism of Ukraine's allies in the West.

Image source, Getty Images

Shortly after the plan was unveiled, Russia hailed the Chinese peace proposals. And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he hoped China would not supply weapons to Russia.

Mykhaylo Podolyak, senior adviser to the Ukrainian president, told Italian media, external there is an "absolute contradiction" between the plan's insistence on respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity and the need for an immediate ceasefire - which Podolyak says would leave Russia in control of occupied territory.

Speaking ahead of today's talks between Xi and Putin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the pair will discuss themes proposed by Beijing in its peace plan for Ukraine.

We're hearing reports from state media that Chinese President Xi Jinping has now arrived in Russia - we'll bring you the pictures as soon as we have them.

According to Russia's TASS news agency, Xi Jinping arrived at Vnukovo airport a short while ago.

He’s scheduled to have lunch with the Russian president before an informal one-to-one meeting this afternoon.

Formal talks with delegations are planned for tomorrow.

Steve Rosenberg
Reporting from Moscow

Imagine you're Vladimir Putin.

You've started a war that hasn't gone to plan; you're up to your eyeballs in sanctions; and now the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for war crimes with your name on it.

It's at times like these you need a friend. Enter Xi Jinping.

President Xi once called President Putin his "best friend". The two have much in common: they are both authoritarian leaders, and both embrace the idea of a"multi-polar world" devoid of US domination.

In Moscow they're expected to sign an agreement on"deepening the comprehensive partnership" between their two countries.

The Chinese president's state visit is a clear sign of support for Russia - and its president - at a time when the Kremlin is under intense international pressure.

And Russia's relationship with China is fundamental to withstanding that.

• Read more here

Image source, AFP

It's safe to say this trip has raised some eyebrows in the West, particularly after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin on Friday.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman has already said the court should “avoid politicisation and double standards", and “uphold an objective and impartial stance”.

At a media briefing in Beijing earlier, Wang Wenbin told journalists the court should “respect the immunity of heads of state from jurisdiction under international law”.

China and Russia are among several countries which do not recognise the jurisdiction of the ICC.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on the other hand, has called the arrest warrant a "historic decision, from which historical responsibility will begin".

"The beginning of the Russian Federation's end in its current form on the world stage," is how the Ukrainian President's adviser Mykhailo Podolyak has described the ICC's arrest warrants.

As mentioned in our welcome post, Xi Jinping’s visit comes only a couple of days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin for war crimes. Even though it's highly unlikely that Putin will actually be arrested, it still makes it more important to have a friend visiting Moscow.

Moscow rejected the ICCs decision and described the move as null and void, “outrageous and unacceptable”.

Russia is not a member of the ICC and there's no expectation any suspects will be handed over. China's not a member either.

Still, the warrant will make life harder for the Russian president, especially when it comes to travelling to any country that is signed up to the ICC.

Members are obliged to arrest anyone indicted by the court.