A possible meeting between Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping could put Ukraine’s future on the table, with Moscow reportedly pushing for negotiations on terms favorable to Russia. However, Washington has not agreed to the proposed gathering.
Putin reportedly wants a summit with Donald Trump and Xi Jinping
The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that Putin raised the idea of a summit during an Oct. 9 phone call with Trump. A former Russian intelligence officer briefed on the discussion told the newspaper about the proposal, which reportedly seeks to bring the U.S., Russian and Chinese leaders together next month (via Reuters).
Rather than arranging a separate event, the Kremlin has reportedly floated holding the conversation alongside the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, scheduled for Nov. 18-19. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that officials were discussing a potential meeting, though he stressed that neither its format nor its agenda had been settled.
“There is no clear understanding yet regarding the meeting itself or its potential agenda,” Peskov told the newspaper, while acknowledging that all three sides recognized the possibility of such a gathering. Whether Trump will take part is still up in the air. A senior U.S. official told The Wall Street Journal that the president had yet to agree to the proposal, though he could still consider the offer.
The latest diplomatic overture comes amid signs of closer engagement between Trump and Putin. Trump announced an agreement to buy Russian diesel and issued an executive order Friday lifting key sanctions on Moscow. According to The Wall Street Journal, Putin floated the idea of a summit during the very phone conversation that led to the diesel deal.
Kyiv has pushed back against Washington’s approach, with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy cautioning that concessions to Moscow could encourage further aggression rather than bring the fighting to an end.
