Report Says Chinese Leader Discussed Russian Leader With U.S. President

A report states that China's leader told the U.S. president that Russia's leader might regret the decision to invade Ukraine. The report links the alleged comment to recent battlefield developments. Ukraine's drone strikes have increased in range and frequency, reaching targets inside Russia. These strikes prompted officials to reduce the scale of a military parade held earlier this month.

Russia's advance has slowed in recent weeks.

Ukrainian forces have reported destroying thousands of Russian troops each week using new drone technology. Officials in Kyiv said the same capability forced a reduction in the Victory Day parade held in Moscow. Ukraine has also claimed responsibility for long-range drone attacks on the Russian capital.

Officials said these attacks led to a temporary cease-fire around the March 9 parade, which was smaller than previous events.

Russia raised its value-added tax by two percentage points last year. Officials said the increase was intended to raise about $7.4 billion from small and medium-sized businesses. Reports also state that the Russian leader has asked business figures to contribute to a war fund.

Beijing denied that its leader made the reported comments about the Russian leader. A Kremlin spokesman echoed the denial. A White House readout of the meeting did not mention any discussion of the Ukraine conflict or the International Criminal Court.