evidence: Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have met at the Kremlin and touted the close ties and strategic visions shared by China and Russia, on the first day of a state visit framed by Beijing as a peacemaking project despite deep skepticism in Kyiv and the West. [...] "In the last few years, China has made a colossal leap forward," Putin told Xi, sitting side by side with him at the Kremlin on Monday afternoon. "In the whole world, this evokes interest, and unfortunately even envy." [...] Putin once again claimed to Xi that he is "always open to the negotiation process" during a publicized portion of Monday’s meeting, despite his repeated refusal to engage with Kyiv on a withdrawal from Ukrainian land.