Putin and Zelenskyy court major allies as Ukraine makes gains

While Russian forces in some areas are increasingly being pushed back toward the border, Russia is still striking from behind the front line

Volodymyr Zelenskyy with police after a national flag-raising ceremony in Izium (Leo Correa/AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy are each courting major allies on Thursday, seeking to prop up their efforts in a war whose fortunes have tilted toward Ukraine in recent days.

In Uzbekistan’s ancient city of Samarkand, Mr Putin was hoping to break through his international isolation and further cement his ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a geopolitical alliance increasingly seen as a potent counterweight to the western powers.