Kiev not willing to implement China's 'peace plan': Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Kiev of not being willing to implement China's proposals to end the fighting in Ukraine. 

"Many of the provisions of the peace plan put forward by China … can be taken as the basis for a peaceful settlement when Kiev and the West will be ready for it," Putin said on Tuesday after holding talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. 

The Russian president charged that Ukraine's Western allies so far have shown no interest in that. 

He also said British plans to provide Ukraine with ammunition for battle tanks containing depleted uranium, saying it heralds the West switching to supplying Kiev with weapons containing nuclear components. 

He said that Russia will respond and react "accordingly" if it happens, but didn't elaborate. 

"Looks like the West has really decided to fight with Russia 'till the last Ukrainian' – not just in words, but in deeds," he said. 

His remarks came after Annabel Goldie, minister of state for the British Defence Ministry, told lawmakers that along with Challenger 2 tanks, the UK will supply Ukraine "ammunition including armour piercing rounds which contain depleted uranium." 

She said this type of ammunition was "highly effective in defeating modern tanks and armoured vehicles." 

"If this happens, Russia will have to react accordingly … the collective West is already beginning to use weapons with a nuclear component," he added.

READ MORE: China wants to work with Russia for a 'multi-polar world' – Xi

Chinese business to replace Western firms

Meanwhile, Moscow is ready to help Chinese businesses replace Western firms that have left Russia over the Ukraine conflict, Putin told Xi. 

Putin also said the two leaders had discussed the proposed Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, which would ship Russian gas to China. 

The planned pipeline would deliver 50 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas per year from Russia to China via Mongolia. Moscow put forward the idea many years ago, but it has gained urgency as Russia turns to China to replace Europe as its major gas customer.

"I am convinced that our multi-faceted cooperation will continue to develop for the good of the peoples of our countries," Putin said in televised comments to Xi, adding that Russia is a "strategic supplier" of oil, gas and coal to China.

Xi, on his part, said China and Russia should work more closely to push forward greater "practical cooperation". 

"The early harvest of (our) cooperation can be seen, and further cooperation is being advanced," Xi told Putin, according to Hong Kong cable television. 

Russia's Gazprom already supplies gas to China through the Power of Siberia pipeline under a 30-year, $400 billion deal launched at the end of 2019. That pipeline spans some 3,000 km (1,865 miles). 

Russia's gas exports to China are still a small fraction of the record 177 bcm it delivered to Europe in 2018-19. Since the start of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, volumes to Europe have shrunk, reaching about 62 bcm in 2022. 

Putin said on Tuesday Russia would deliver at least 98 bcm of gas to China by 2030. 

READ MORE: China, Russia to declare 'new era' in ties

Xi invites Putin to visit China 

During the talks, Xi has also extended an invitation to Putin to visit China. 

The Chinese president said he invited Putin for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation later this year. 

Putin last visited China when Beijing hosted Olympic Games in February last year, days ahead of Russia's war on Ukraine. 

The two sides held wide ranging deliberations including on bilateral, regional and international issues. 

On the Ukraine issue, Xi told Putin that "voices for peace and rationality" were building. 

The 69-year-old Chinese leader also called on Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and his Chinese counterpart to hold "continuous regular meetings," according to Chinese daily Global Times.

READ MORE: Will China arm Russia in the Ukraine conflict?