Putin welcomes China’s Xi Jinping and hails plan to settle ‘acute crisis’ in Ukraine

The two major powers have described Mr Xi’s three-day trip as an opportunity to deepen their “no-limits friendship”

Russian President Vladimir Putin has welcomed Chinese leader Xi Jinping to the Kremlin (Russian Pool/AP)

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

As he greeted Mr Xi, Mr Putin also said he welcomed his plan for “settlement of the acute crisis in Ukraine”.