Ukraine Warupdated 1h ago3 min read
Putin Proposes Trilateral Summit With Trump And Xi To Discuss Ukraine War
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Putin proposed a trilateral summit with Trump and Xi to discuss the Ukraine war. The talks could occur on the sidelines of the upcoming APEC summit in China.
13 outlets told this the same way.
Outlets did split on Trump Accuses Zelenskiy Of Not Wanting To End War With Russia →
Putin floats trilateral talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed a trilateral meeting next month with US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss the war in Ukraine, with the Wall Street Journal reporting the idea and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirming that discussions were underway.
Peskov told the Journal, "There is no clear understanding yet regarding the meeting itself or its potential agenda, although all three parties acknowledge the hypothetical possibility of such a meeting taking place," and the report said Putin raised the proposal during an Oct. 9 phone call with Trump.
The Kremlin suggested the meeting could be held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, scheduled for Nov. 18-19, according to people familiar with the discussions.
The Oct. 9 call also produced an agreement for the US to purchase Russian diesel fuel and facilitate its sale on the global market, according to the report.
A senior US official said Trump had not agreed to the proposed summit but could be open to the idea, given his desire to fulfill his campaign pledge to end the war, Reuters said in comments carried by CNBC.
Ukraine excluded, Kyiv reacts
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not expected to be at the table in the reported three-way summit, with CNBC saying the meeting was floated "without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the table." Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha warned that such a meeting would only encourage Putin to continue the war, writing on X, "A trilateral meeting between the leaders of Russia, China, and the US would do only the opposite: encourage Putin to continue this war,". Euronews reported that Putin repeatedly declined proposals to meet Zelenskyy on neutral ground, insisting that any direct talks between the two leaders take place in Moscow, a condition Kyiv has rejected.
Euronews also said the European Commission questioned Moscow's willingness to negotiate an end to the conflict, pointing to Russia's continued attacks despite the energy ceasefire announced by Trump. Sybiha argued that accepting a ceasefire before any such meeting could demonstrate genuine willingness to negotiate, adding, "As long as he continues this terror, there should be no place for him at any table,".
Attacks and bargaining pressure
CNBC said Russia launched another wave of overnight attacks on Ukraine, firing 16 ballistic missiles at Kyiv and the surrounding region and more than 200 drones across the country, according to Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy said on X that the strikes damaged more than 10 energy infrastructure facilities, leaving at least 550,000 households without power, and CNBC said casualties were reported along with damage to a medical clinic, school, metro station and residential buildings.
Serhiy Derkach, Ukraine's First Deputy Minister for Recovery, Infrastructure and Transport, told CNBC that Kyiv still hoped to retain Washington's support despite tensions, stressing that Ukraine hoped Washington would continue helping it or at least "stay in the middle."
Euronews reported that the proposed talks come as Washington eases economic pressure on Moscow while pressing Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, raising concerns in Kyiv that the Kremlin is securing concessions without making any of its own.
Trump defended his approach to Russia in a Truth Social post, writing, "My decision on Russia is a very simple one. I am in the process of negotiating Peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and don’t want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table."