Putin praises Xi Jinping's proposals for ending war in Ukraine ahead of two-day visit to China

Russian president Vladimir Putin has praised Xi Jinping's proposals for ending the war in Ukraine ahead of a two-day visit to China aimed at shoring up support from his most powerful international partner. Mr Putin said China had shown a genuine desire to end the war as well as an understanding of the root causes of the conflict and its global geopolitical significance. When Beijing published a 12-point plan for peace last year it met a lukewarm response from Moscow and was dismissed by Ukraine and its western allies. But the Russian president said that four additional principles outlined by…