The Latest Breaking News from Moscow

Algeria’s arms imports have drastically decreased since 2018, according to a study published recently by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The arms imports of Algeria dropped by 58 percent during the past four years. Algiers and Moscow have been preparing for a year a “strategic document” for cooperation.

Xi in turn calls for ‘pragmatism’ as he pitches China as peace-broker in Ukraine conflict

China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin published separate articles on Monday, as Xi was due to begin a visit to Moscow, setting out their hopes for bilateral relations and praising each other.

Ukraine's defence ministry said on Monday that an explosion in Dzhankoi in the north of the Crimean peninsula destroyed Russian cruise missiles intended for use by Russia's Black Sea fleet. This came as the US announced $350 million in new military aid to Ukraine. All times are Paris time [GMT+1].

Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting Russia this week, making his first trip to Moscow since 2019.

The visit is the first by a world leader since the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Antony Blinken warns China proposals could be ‘stalling tactic’ to help Russian troops in Ukraine as Xi Jinping meets Vladimir Putin in Moscow

Meeting comes as Xi calls for a ‘rational way’ out of Ukraine war and weeks after China brokered the Saudi-Iran truce.

Xi described his visit as a "journey of friendship, cooperation and peace."

(This March 20 story has been corrected to show that Xi was re-elected earlier in March and not last month in paragraph 3)

Russian President Vladimir Putin says he has high hopes for a visit to Moscow by his Chinese counterpart and "good friend" Xi Jinping.