Russia's Putin Accepts Invitation to Visit China in October

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday formally accepted an invitation to visit China in October, the Russian newspaper Vedomosti reported.

It would be Putin's first known trip abroad since the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him over the deportation of children from Ukraine – an allegation the Kremlin denies.

Putin was Wednesday hosting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for talks in St Petersburg, and China said it is ready to continue business cooperation with Russia.

Nikolai Patrushev, a close Putin ally and the secretary of Russia's Security Council, said Tuesday that Putin would meet Chinese President Xi Jinping for talks in Beijing in October.