Donald Trump has said he would like China's help to deal with Russia as he seeks to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. "I'd like China to help us out with Russia," the US president said on board Air Force One, as he flew to Asia for a whirlwind tour, where he will meet China's Xi Jinping in South Korea.

For months, President Donald Trump resisted calls to slap new sanctions on Russia, believing he could end the war in a deal with Vladimir Putin — including with a quick peace summit in the coming weeks in Budapest.

Trump departs on Friday for Malaysia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders summit before traveling to Japan on Monday.

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was delighted to learn last week that Russia and the United States had chosen his country as the venue for another summit on ending the war in Ukraine.

Get the latest news and live updates as the government shutdown continues, Trump sanctions Russia in a push for a ceasefire in Ukraine and Rubio heads to Israel amid Gaza truce.

The Kremlin stressed on Wednesday that the dates for the face-to-face talks, due to take place in Hungary, "weren't set" and that this would still happen.