Russia's war on Ukraine latest: Xi meets Putin in Moscow

Kishida toured the town of Bucha, where civilians were killed by Russian forces a year ago. * The secretary of Russia's Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, said the United States wanted to "defeat Russia" and had become a participant in the conflict in Ukraine.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin cemented friendship between their nations and jointly criticised the West, which moved to buttress Ukraine against Moscow's invasion with nearly $16 billion in financial aid and faster delivery of battle tanks. RUSSIA-CHINA

* Putin said after talks with Xi that Chinese proposals could be used as the basis of a peace settlement in Ukraine, but that the West and Kyiv were not yet ready. * Ukraine's President Zelenskiy said Kyiv had suggested to China that Beijing join a Ukrainian peace formula but it was still waiting for an answer.

* If China wants to play a constructive role in Ukraine, Xi should urge Russia to end its invasion, the White House said. * Russia and China said their relationship had reached its highest level but that it was not directed against any other country and did not constitute a "military-political alliance".

AID/DIPLOMACY * The International Monetary Fund said it has reached a staff-level agreement with Ukraine for a four-year financing package worth about $15.6 billion to help its economic recovery.

* The United States plans to speed up the delivery of Abrams tanks to Ukraine, a Pentagon official said, providing the vital equipment to Kyiv as soon as this fall. * Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met Zelenskiy in Kyiv during a rare, unannounced visit by a Japanese leader. Kishida toured the town of Bucha, where civilians were killed by Russian forces a year ago.

* The secretary of Russia's Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, said the United States wanted to "defeat Russia" and had become a participant in the conflict in Ukraine. FIGHTING

* Ukraine's armed forces need more ammunition most of all and are expecting an increase in the supply from Western partners, Zelenskiy said. * Russian forces continue offensive actions near the ruined eastern city of Bakhmut despite sustaining losses in personnel, weapons and equipment, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said.

* Ukraine's defence ministry said 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. * Reuters could not immediately verify the battlefield reports.

QUOTE "I really feel great anger at the atrocity upon visiting that very place here," Japan's Kishida, visiting Bucha. (Compiled by Reuters editors)

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