WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - Chinese President Xi Jinping wants a political solution in Ukraine and affirmed the principle of national sovereignty in a meeting with President Barack Obama on Monday, White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters.

"The United States in general is far more willing to move towards the use of aggressive, punitive actions like sanctions," Mr Rhodes said, indicating some distance with China on that issue.

But he said Beijing had emphasized that sovereignty and territorial integrity were the abiding principles of the international system.

"There, we believe the Chinese have been very clear in their expressions of support for a de-escalation and political resolution and, again, their general commitment to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of nation states including Ukraine," he said.