The United States insists Xi Jinping to press Putin to stop the war against Ukraine

The US has advised Chinese President Xi Jinping to press Vladimir Putin to “stop the war crimes” in Ukraine.

The two leaders will meet again on Tuesday for official discussions during Mr Xi’s first trip to Moscow since the attack.

China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Putin meet again for official talks: 

The White House’s National Security Council representative called Mr Xi to insist his Russian partner retreat troops from Ukraine. John Kirby said aiming for a truce would not be enough.

“We expect that President Xi will prompt President Putin to stop attacking Ukrainian cities, hospitals and schools, to stop the war crimes and horrors and to withdraw his soldiers,” he said.

“But we are concerned that China will repeat calls for a ceasefire that leaves Russian forces inside Ukraine’s sovereign domain. Any ceasefire not handling withdrawing Russian armies from Ukraine would effectively sanction Russia’s criminal conquests.”

In another plot, Japan’s Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, is going to Ukraine for talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky. He hoped to express solidarity and help for Ukraine following Russia’s attack.

Japan and China see each other as regional foes. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine started, Tokyo has offered Kyiv humanitarian, financial and non-lethal military help.

On Monday, Mr Xi and Mr Putin had more than four hours of what were called informal talks, with more legal discussions planned for Tuesday.

There are concerns that China’s help for Russia – now based on technology and business – might become military, potentially including artillery projectiles.

Mr Putin has said he will confer a 12-point strategy proposed by Mr Xi to “fix the acute situation in Ukraine”. “We’re always available for a negotiation process,” Mr Putin told, as the PMs called each other “dear friends.”

China unleashed its plan to stop the war last month, including “ceasing hate” and restarting peace talks.

China’s plan did not precisely say that Russia must remove from Ukraine – which Ukraine has urged as a precondition for any negotiations.