Volodymyr Zelenskyy issues warning over consequences of losing Bakhmut

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned defeat in the battle for Bakhmut would enable Russia to start building international support for a deal that would require his nation to make unacceptable compromises.

And he has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping, long aligned to Russia, to visit.