BEIJING/MOSCOW, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their ties during a video call on Wednesday held in the run-up to the fourth anniversary of Moscow's war in Ukraine.

President Trump is defending Russian President Vladimir Putin as holding to the terms of his personal request to halt attacks on Ukraine for seven days. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disagrees,

Ukraine rushes to boost air defenses as brief Russian airstrike pause on Kyiv nears end. Experts warn the temporary halt may strengthen Moscow's position.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Kremlin press service said that Russian leader Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping had held talks via video link. According to Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the sides discussed bilateral relations and "key international issues".

Zelenskyy says Ukraine will "take corresponding steps" as Trump says Putin agreed to stop bombing Ukrainian cities for a week.

First lady Melania Trump said on Wednesday she is hoping for progress on her talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin to release more Ukrainian children amid the war between the two countries. “I’m working on it,

The Russian death toll may be as high as 325,000 in four years.