Putin Proposes Trilateral Summit with Trump and Xi for Ukraine Talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin has put forward a proposal for a trilateral summit involving US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, aimed at addressing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This proposal was reportedly discussed during a phone call between Putin and Trump on October 9, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. While the Kremlin has acknowledged that talks about the potential meeting are in progress, no definitive arrangements have been finalized yet.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the three nations have not yet reached an agreement on the summit or its agenda. He noted that there is no clear understanding regarding the specifics of the meeting, although all parties recognize the theoretical possibility of it occurring. A senior US official indicated that while Trump has not formally accepted the invitation, he might be receptive to the idea as he seeks to facilitate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.

The Kremlin has suggested that the trilateral discussions could take place alongside the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled for November 18-19 in Shenzhen, China. Russian diplomats have reportedly communicated this proposal to their Chinese counterparts, who have expressed no objections to Trump's participation if he agrees. However, this proposal has raised alarms in Ukraine and among European allies of the US, particularly regarding the lack of Ukrainian representation in these crucial discussions.

In recent statements, Trump has claimed that negotiations to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict are progressing well. He criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for not securing a better deal two years prior. On his social media platform, Trump emphasized his desire to avoid actions that could alienate Russia from the negotiation process, asserting that significant progress is being made, including on hostage negotiations.

The proposed summit follows a substantial 90-minute phone conversation between Putin and Trump earlier this month, described by Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov as friendly and productive. They discussed various topics, including economic initiatives and energy cooperation. Ushakov noted that while no specific date for an in-person meeting has been set, there is potential for both leaders to meet during the APEC summit if they both attend. The conversation also touched on Russia's potential supply of petroleum products to the US and international markets, with Trump announcing on social media that Russia would supply over 300,000 tonnes of diesel fuel to American and global markets soon.