Russia and China hold talks in the shadow of Ukraine war

In their first face-to-face meeting since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin has told China’s leader Xi Jinping that he values their “balanced position” on the war but understands that they have “questions and concerns”.

The talks – at a regional summit in Samarkand – were also the first time Mr Putin has spoken in public since Ukraine managed to drive Russian forces out of thousands of kilometers of occupied territory.