Kremlin hails importance of Vladimir Putin-Xi Jinping meeting in Samarkand

The Kremlin on Tuesday hailed the significance of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s planned meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week amid tensions with the West (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP)

The Kremlin has hailed the significance of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s planned meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week amid tensions with the West.

Mr Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said the two leaders are scheduled to meet on Thursday in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on the sidelines of a summit of a security pact dominated by Moscow and Beijing.