"Japan's PM offers support to Ukraine as China backs Russia in ongoing conflict"

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made a surprise visit to Kyiv, offering support to Ukraine as Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss Beijing's peace proposal for Ukraine. The visits highlight the nearly 13-month-old war's repercussions for international diplomacy as countries line up behind Moscow or Kyiv. The US has said any peace plan coming from the Putin-Xi meeting would be unacceptable to Washington because it would only ratify Moscow's territorial conquests and give Russia time to plan for a renewed offensive.