Vladimir Putin landed in China on Tuesday to a warm welcome from his “dear friend” President Xi Jinping, but he arrived with the heavy burden of a war he increasingly seems unable to win.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he would speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday as he pushes to end the war in Ukraine.

President Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke Wednesday about Ukraine and Iran.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as they meet to negotiate for an end to the war in Ukraine, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S., August 15, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File ...

China’s Ministry of Defense signaled it’s open to building trust with Washington, following President Donald Trump’s meeting with Xi Jinping last week.