Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin say 'change is coming' in ominous message to the ... trends now

China's President Xi Jinping told a grinning Vladimir Putin 'change is coming' in an ominous parting message as he departed Moscow on Tuesday evening following talks with his Russian counterpart.

'Change is coming that hasn't happened in 100 years. And we are driving this change together,' Xi told Putin via his interpreter - words sure to set alarm bells ringing in the West. 

'Please, take care, dear friend,' he added, gripping Putin's hand warmly before being waved off by the Russian despot, who bid Xi a 'safe journey'. 

In February 2022, the pair announced they had forged a 'no limits' friendship and Putin invited Xi to visit the Russian capital. They have since publicly talked of strengthening their 'special relationship', with Moscow and Beijing both rejecting what they say are US attempts to create a 'unipolar world' controlled by Washington.

Today, Xi finally met Putin at the Kremlin, with both leaders appearing keen to promote their positive relations. They signed a series of memorandums and agreements designed to boost bilateral co-operation on a number of issues, and were pictured coiffing champagne together in the Kremlin's Palace of the Facets as Xi invited his Russian counterpart to visit China later this year.

Their unsettling farewell message came just hours after Putin vowed to respond to British plans to send ammunition containing depleted uranium to Ukraine as Moscow warned the risk of a 'nuclear collision' was increasing.

The Russian despot raged against Britain's decision to provide Kyiv's troops with Challenger 2 battle tanks and depleted uranium ammunition, arguing it marked a step towards using weapons with a 'nuclear component'.

Tank shells containing the radioactive material are more dense, enhancing their capability to penetrate thick layers of armour. 

But depleted uranium can cause serious radiation damage if it enters the body - for example through shrapnel or inhalation from explosions - and is linked to increased instances of cancer and other illnesses in warzones. 

Speaking after talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Russian capital, Putin said he will be 'forced to react' if the UK goes ahead with its delivery of 14 next-generation battle tanks. 

'The United Kingdom announced not only the supply of tanks to Ukraine, but also shells with depleted uranium,' Putin seethed. 

'If this happens, Russia will be forced to respond accordingly, given that the West collectively is already beginning to use weapons with a nuclear component. It looks like the West indeed intends to fight Russia until the last Ukrainian,' added.

Britain in kind accused Putin of peddling deliberate disinformation regarding his 'nuclear component' claims, with the MoD pointing out that 'the British Army has used depleted uranium in its armour piercing shells for decades. It is a standard component and has nothing to do with nuclear weapons or capabilities'.

Russian politicians and Putin's propagandists have made a series of combative remarks since the invasion of Ukraine last year, suggesting Moscow would - if necessary - be prepared to deploy its vast nuclear arsenal. 

Putin also joined XI in condemning the security pact known as AUKUS that will see Australia develop a nuclear-powered submarine program with the United States and Britain.

Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu reiterated Putin's point today and warned the world is just mere 'steps' away from nuclear disaster. 

'Another step has been taken, and there are fewer and fewer left,' Shoigu said. When asked whether this meant that the world was closer to a nuclear collision, he replied: 'It was not by chance that I told you about steps. There are fewer and fewer.' 

But Conservative MP and British army veteran Bob Seely dismissed Putin and Shoigu's statements as a simple intimidation tactic.

'Russia uses nuclear threats to try to intimidate. Moscow did this in the Cold War and sadly the Kremlin is doing it again now,' he said.

'Putin's primary political aim is to undermine the link between Ukraine and its Western allies that are supplying Kyiv with funding and arms. If he can break that link, he believes he could eventually grind Ukraine down and win a victory that his troops have not been able to win on the battlefields in southern and eastern Ukraine.

'What's worrying is that Russia is now increasing the level of nuclear threat rhetoric. Is this because President Xi has left Moscow, or because he is giving his blessing to it? China's role here is important.

'Putin's rhetoric is likely to be just that, but we do not know that he is bluffing and therefore we need to assume he may use nuclear weapons. If we take his threat seriously, and everything we can to deter him, we make it less likely that he will use them, but for sure we live in dangerous times and we need to be honest about that. We cannot just assume he is bluffing.

'What is also clear is that the longer this war goes on, the more dangerous it will become. Therefore, the least dangerous option is to arm Ukraine to win this war this year, or at least push Russia onto the defensive... Arming Ukraine remains the least bad option.'

Depleted uranium is used in weapons because it can penetrate tanks and armour more easily due to its density and other physical properties. 

It is a by-product of the nuclear enriching process used to make nuclear fuel or nuclear weapons. It is around 60 percent as radioactive as natural uranium. 

Depleted uranium is a particular health risk around impact sites, where dust can get into people's lungs and vital organs. The use of tank shells containing the radioactive material has been linked to increased cancer risk and increased rates of birth defects in warzones.

Despite this, many countries have stockpiles of depleted uranium ammunition including Russia, the US and the UK.

On Monday, UK junior Defence Minister Annabel Goldie wrote: 'Alongside our granting of a squadron of Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine, we will be providing ammunition, including armor-piercing rounds which contain depleted uranium. Such rounds are highly effective in defeating modern tanks and armored vehicles.'