China's Xi Jinping warned Vladimir Putin against using nuclear weapons, The Financial Times reported. If Putin ignored Xi and acted on his nuclear threats to Ukraine, it'd humiliate the Chinese leader, an analyst said. He has provided the Russian president with crucial economic and diplomatic support amid sanctions and international isolation. This gives him leverage over the Russian president in seeking to deter him from a potentially catastrophic escalation of the conflict. Putin has previously shown a willingness to defy China, declaring he'd position nuclear weapons in Belarus in an apparent snub to Xi in March.

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Persons: China's Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Xi, Putin, it'd, —, Vladimir Putin of, Putin's, Dmitry Peskov, Sumantra Maitra, China Xi, Ali Wyne, Xi Jinping, Wagner Organizations: Financial Times, Service, Ukraine, Putin, Wednesday, European Union, Eurasia Group, Russian Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Vladimir Putin of Russia, China, Russian, Russia, Beijing, Belarus, West