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

Steve Witkoff said it would be the first exchange for months, one that showed "advancing efforts to end the war in Ukraine."

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin praised their strategic partnership during a video call, calling it a stabilising force amid global turbulence ahead of the fourth anniversary of the Ukraine war.

Chinese President Xi Jinping held back-to-back calls with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump as both seek to increase their influence over China. The calls were held within hours of each other,

Russian strongman Vladimir Putin reneged on his deal with President Trump to briefly pause the war in Ukraine, killing at least five and injuring more than a dozen in strikes across the battered country overnight into Saturday.

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,

China's President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin both hailed their ties during a video call on Wednesday held in the run-up to the fourth anniversary of Moscow's war in Ukraine.

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