China's peace plan for Ukraine could be used as a basis to end the war, Vladimir Putin has said.

The Russian leader met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday in Moscow to discuss the conflict, and relations between the two countries.

Mr Putin said the peace plan could be put forward "when they are ready for it in the West and in Kyiv".

But China's plan - published last month - does not call for Russia to leave Ukraine.

Published last month, the 12-point plan calls for peace talks and respect for national sovereignty.

It also condemns "unilateral sanctions", in what is seen as a veiled criticism of Ukraine's allies in the West.

Ukraine has insisted on Russia withdrawing from its territory as a condition for any talks.

And the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said calling for a ceasefire before Russia withdrew "would effectively be supporting the ratification of Russian conquest".

In a joint news conference after talks with Mr Xi ended in Moscow, Mr Putin said: "Many provisions of the Chinese peace plan can be taken as the basis for settling of the conflict in Ukraine, whenever the West and Kyiv are ready for it."

But, he added, Russia had yet to see such "readiness" from the other side.

Standing alongside the Russian leader, Mr Xi said his government was in favour of peace and dialogue and that China was on the "right side of history".

He again claimed that China had an "impartial position" on the conflict in Ukraine.

The pair also discussed growing trade, energy and political ties between the two nations.

There are growing concerns in the West that China might provide military support for Russia.

"We haven't seen any proof that China is delivering lethal weapons to Russia but we have seen some signs that this has been a request from Russia, and that this is an issue that is considered in Beijing by the Chinese authorities," Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels.

On Tuesday morning, Mr Xi was given a fanfare welcome when he arrived at the Kremlin for a second day of talk.

His visit to Russia came days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for President Putin on war crimes allegations.

The state visit was mirrored by Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's surprise visit to Kyiv - making him the first leader of Japan to visit a country in conflict since World War Two.

In the Ukrainian capital, Mr Kishida promised unwavering support to Ukraine's president with talk of reconstruction and humanitarian aid.

BBC