Photo: EPA
Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed holding a summit next month with US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to discuss Ukraine and seek a deal to end the war on terms favorable to Moscow, according to people familiar with the discussions, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Putin is seeking to capitalize on improving relations with Trump, raising concerns in Ukraine and among its allies in Washington and Europe. A summit without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would be unprecedented and could alarm European capitals and other governments.
A former Russian intelligence officer familiar with the situation said Putin floated the idea during a phone call with Trump on October 9. Following the call, the two sides also agreed on US purchases of Russian diesel fuel and efforts to facilitate its sale on global markets.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that discussions about a possible meeting were continuing, but said no decision had been made on whether it would take place or what issues would be discussed. He told the WSJ that all three sides were open to the possibility of such a summit.
A senior US official said Trump had not agreed to the meeting but might consider the proposal as he seeks to fulfill his campaign promise to end the war. Trump pledged during his campaign to stop the fighting on the first day of his new term, but has now been in office for nearly two years.
According to sources, the Kremlin proposed holding the trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, scheduled for November 18–19 in Shenzhen, a technology hub in southern China.
A meeting in China would be a significant step for Xi, who wants to strengthen his country’s role as a mediator in international negotiations. Russian officials reportedly conveyed the proposal to Beijing through diplomatic channels, and Chinese officials indicated they would not oppose the meeting if Trump agreed.
Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center in Washington, said Beijing wants to be seen as a central power and potentially as a mediator between the United States and Russia. The White House declined to comment, while the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.
The former Russian intelligence officer said Putin had previously proposed a trilateral summit with Trump and Xi. This latest initiative comes amid shifting relations between Moscow and Washington.
Trump recently again accused Zelenskyy of not wanting to end the war. The US president also said he would not sign a document imposing sanctions on Russia for now, arguing that doing so could undermine ongoing peace negotiations and give Moscow a reason to withdraw from talks.
Zelenskyy, meanwhile, accused Trump of pressuring Kyiv to make concessions that could amount to capitulation to Russia. He said restrictions on satellite communications and delays in US missile deliveries were weakening Ukraine’s defenses ahead of winter.
The Ukrainian president also described potential US support for Putin’s actions as a “historic mistake.” Zelenskyy said he still regarded Trump as an ally and hoped he would reconsider his decisions. He warned that the diesel agreement between Washington and Moscow could encourage Putin to pursue the occupation of Ukraine, adding that the deal would have little effect on US fuel prices because the recent increase was linked to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
