(Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin will count on Chinese language President Xi Jinping to point out solidarity towards Western hegemony when he arrives in Moscow on Monday, whereas Xi will current China as a worldwide peacemaker intent on brokering an finish to the Ukraine struggle.

Xi would be the first world chief to shake Putin’s hand for the reason that Worldwide Legal Courtroom (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for the Russian chief on Friday over the deportation of Ukrainian youngsters to Russia for the reason that begin of the struggle. Moscow rejects the cost.

Russia will current Xi’s journey – his first since securing an unprecedented third time period this month – as proof that it has a robust good friend ready to face with it towards a hostile West that it says is making an attempt to isolate and defeat it.

For Xi the go to might be a diplomatic tightrope, with China releasing a 12-point proposal to resolve the Ukraine disaster, however on the similar time strengthening ties with its ally.

In an article printed at first of his go to to Moscow, Xi stated China’s proposal, which was launched final month, displays international views and seeks to neutraliseconsequences, however acknowledged that options will not be straightforward.

“The doc serves as a constructive consider neutralizing the implications of the disaster and selling apolitical settlement,” Xi wrote in an article in Rossiiskaya Gazeta, a each day printed by the Russian authorities, in line with a Reuters’ translation from Russian.

“Advanced issues don’t have easy options,” stated Xi.

Ukraine and its Western backers can be prone to dismiss any try to safe a ceasefire as little greater than a ploy to purchase Putin time to bolster, and delay a broadly anticipated Ukrainian counter-offensive.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has stated he’ll solely think about peace settlements after Russian troops go away Ukrainian territory.

China’s proposal comprises solely basic statements and no concrete proposal on how one can finish the year-long struggle by which tens of hundreds of individuals have been killed, cities have been destroyed and thousands and thousands pressured to flee.

In an article for a Chinese language newspaper, printed on the Kremlin web site, Putin stated he had excessive hopes for the go to by his “good previous good friend” Xi, with whom he signed a “no limits” strategic partnership final 12 months. He additionally welcomed China’s willingness to mediate.

“We’re grateful for the balanced line … in reference to the occasions going down in Ukraine, for understanding their background and true causes. We welcome China’s willingness to play a constructive function in resolving the disaster,” Putin stated.

The US and its allies are deeply sceptical of China’s motives, noting it has declined to sentence Russia and supplied it with an financial lifeline as different nations heap sanctions on it.

The US and NATO have not too long ago accused China of contemplating supplying arms to Russia and warned it againstdoing so. China has dismissed the accusations.

WAR CRIMES, ARTILLERY SHELLS

Justice ministers from all over the world will meet in London on Monday to debate assist for the Worldwide Legal Courtroom after it issued an arrest warrant for Putin.

“We’re gathering in London at present united by one trigger: tohold struggle criminals to account for the atrocities dedicated inUkraine throughout this unjust, unprovoked and illegal invasion,”British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab stated.

A number of European Union nations will signal an settlement onMonday in Brussels to purchase 155 mm artillery shells for Ukraine, with the primary orders probably positioned by the top of Might.

Ukraine has recognized the availability of the shells as crucial, with either side firing hundreds of rounds day by day.

In Ukraine, fierce combating continued within the jap city of Bakhmut with either side launching counter offensives. Ukrainian forces have held out in Bakhmut since final summer season within the longest and bloodiest battle of the struggle.

Giving its common morning roundup from the entrance, Ukraine’s army stated defenders in Bakhmut, Lyman, Ivanivske, Bohdanivka and Hryhorivka – all cities within the Donetsk area – had repelled 69 Russian assaults up to now day.

“Bakhmut stays the epicentre of hostilities,” it stated.

It additionally stated that Russian forces have been on the defensive within the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia areas to the south.

Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, which is spearheading the assault on Bakhmut and has suffered heavy losses, plans to recruit some 30,000 new fighters by the middleof Might, its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin stated on Saturday.

In January, the US assessed that Wagner hadabout 50,000 fighters in Ukraine, together with 40,000 convictsPrigozhin had recruited from Russian prisons with a promise of apardon in the event that they survived six months.

Ukrainian officers have stated that some 30,000 ofWagner’s fighters have abandoned or been killed or wounded, afigure that would not be independently verified.