Putin assures Xi he will go to Winter Olympics in show of unity

Russian leader defies western boycott and forms new model of cooperation' with Chinese leader

Vladimir Putin has confirmed he will attend the opening of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, an event that Boris Johnson and other western leaders have boycotted in protest at human rights abuses in China.

Putin made the pledge during a video call with the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, as he said that a new model of cooperation has been formed between our countries, based on other matters of principles such as non-interference in [each other's] internal affairs".