Putin: Russia, China Can Overcome Difficulties Together

President Vladimir Putin has said Russia and China can overcome their difficulties by working together.

Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping both arrived in the Russian city of Ufa on July 8 for summits of the BRICS group and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Welcoming the Chinese leader, Putin said, "Combining efforts, no doubt we will overcome all the problems before us."

The Russian president held bilateral meetings with other leaders ahead of the BRICS and SCO summits opening July 9.

The BRICS group also includes Brazil, India, and South Africa, while the SCO includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

The summits come as Russia's economy has contracted due to the fall in oil prices and Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis. China's benchmark stock index drop one third in the past month.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP