Russia's war on Ukraine latest: Putin hosts China's Xi

RUSSIA-CHINA * Xi was the first world leader to meet Putin since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for the Russian leader on Friday over the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia since the start of the war.

Chinese President Xi Jinping met Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Monday, seeking to promote Beijing's role as potential peacemaker in Ukraine and to deepen economic ties with an ally he sees as a useful counterweight to the West. RUSSIA-CHINA

* Xi was the first world leader to meet Putin since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for the Russian leader on Friday over the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia since the start of the war. * The pair hailed each other as a "dear friend".

* Putin told Xi that he viewed China's proposals for a resolution of the Ukraine conflict with respect. * Ukraine urged China to use its influence to end the war.

* China's proposal contains only general statements and no concrete detail on how to end the year-long conflict which has claimed tens of thousands of lives and forced millions to flee. * The United States and its Western allies are deeply sceptical of China's motives, noting it has declined to condemn Russia and provided it with an economic lifeline.

* After U.S. sources said Chinese ammunition was being used by Russian forces, Beijing countered that it was the United States, not the Chinese, supplying arms to the Ukraine battlefield. DIPLOMACY

* Russia's Investigative Committee said it had opened a counter-case against the ICC prosecutor and judges, arguing there were no grounds for criminal liability on Putin's part and heads of state enjoyed immunity. * Justice ministers from around the world were gathering in London to discuss scaling up support for the ICC.

* European Union countries agreed to give 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine over the next year by digging into their own stockpiles and teaming up to buy more. * Putin's administration has told officials to stop using Apple iPhones because of concerns the devices are vulnerable to Western intelligence agencies. "Either throw it away or give it to the children," the Kommersant newspaper quoted a participant of the meeting as saying.

FIGHTING * Fierce fighting continued in the eastern town of Bakhmut with each side launching counter offensives. Ukrainian forces have held out in Bakhmut since last summer in the longest and bloodiest battle of the year-long war.

* 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 mid-May. GRAIN

* Putin said Russia would provide grain to African countries for free if the Black Sea grain deal, allowing Ukrainian exports, is not extended in May. RECENT IN-DEPTH STORIES * EXCLUSIVE-Russians flood Kazakhstan with sanction-busting requests * INSIGHT-North of Bakhmut, another key battle tests Ukraine's defences * SPECIAL REPORT-Wagner’s convicts tell of horrors of Ukraine war and loyalty to their leader * ANALYSIS-Patchwork fixes to Ukraine grain shortfall leave world vulnerable a year into war

(Compiled by Reuters editors)