Ukraine-Russia war latest: Xi tells Putin that relations are at ‘unprecedentedly high levels’ at Beijing summit

Lithuania on Wednesday issued an “air danger” warning asking people to take shelter and suspended traffic at the capital’s airport due to a drone violating the country’s airspace, the latest in a series of security incidents in the Baltic region.

The Nato and European Union member state suspended ⁠train traffic in the Vilnius region, while schools ​and ⁠kindergartens were told to bring children to shelters during the incident, which lasted for nearly an hour.

“Immediately take shelter in a safe place, take care ⁠of your close ones, await new recommendations,” Lithuania’s army said in a message sent ​to ⁠people in the capital Vilnius.

Air and train ‌traffic have since resumed, but air warnings were still in place for some parts of the country.

A warning was also issued in the Vilnius parliament building, where ‌parliamentarians and ministers were present.

Russia has shared what it said was footage of troops delivering nuclear warheads to mobile Iskander-M launch systems, loading them and moving them undetected to launch sites as part of a major nuclear exercise.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had practised bringing units to “the highest levels of combat readiness for the use of nuclear weapons” during three days of drills across Russia and Belarus.

They said on Tuesday that the drills, which involve 64,000 military personnel, over 200 missile launchers, 140 aircraft, 73 surface ships and 13 submarines, would include rehearsing launch procedures for Russian tactical nuclear weapons based in Belarus.

With a range of up to 500 km (310 miles), the Iskander-M can carry both nuclear and conventional warheads.

Lithuania’s army says the air warning has ended, following a reported drone incursion into its airspace.

They add that they are still unclear on where the drone came from.

European Union governments are discussing whether former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, or former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, could represent the bloc in potential negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.

Foreign ministers will discuss the merits of possible candidates at an EU meeting in Cyprus next week, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday, days after Xi had talks with US President Donald Trump.

– The leaders will sign joint statements and a number of other bilateral agreements, with economic cooperation in focus.

– They they have an opening ceremony for a bilateral education initiative.

– Putin will meet Chinese premier Li Qiang to discuss trade and more economic cooperation.

– Putin and Xi will have a tea session to discussion foreign issues, according to a Kremlin aide.

Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, said Russia is also considering the possibility of joint projects with the US and China.

Nato scrambled jets on Wednesday amid reports of a drone incursion in Lithuanian airspace.

The drone flew to Lentavaris, near Vilnius, and is now headed in a different direction, pursued by Nato jets, said the country’s defence minister.

Lithuania issued an “air danger” warning and told people to take shelter, suspending traffic at the capital’s airport.

“Immediately take shelter in a safe place, take care of your close ones, await new recommendations,” Lithuania’s army said in a message sent to people in the country’s capital.

Putin and Xi will meet to discuss key international issues during talks over tea that officials characterised as an intimate tete-a-tete between “old friends”.

Russia said it had “serious expectations” for the visit, and that it will include the signing of a 47-page document making various commitments about Russia–China relations.

After landing last night in China, Putin was greeted by foreign minister Wang Yi and an honour guard alongside Chinese youths waving China and Russia’s national flags.

Earlier, China outright denied Xi had told Trump that Putin might come to regret invading Ukraine – reports that had threatened to overshadow the Russian leader’s visit.

Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a reporter: “The information you mentioned does not match the facts and is completely fabricated out of thin air.”

Peskov adds that the Russian military is closely monitoring the situation regarding drones flying through the Baltic states’ airspace, and is formulating an appropriate response, per TASS.