Vladimir Putin has proposed a trilateral meeting with United States President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss ways to end the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would not take part in the meeting.
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The report was published by The Wall Street Journal, which cited a former Russian intelligence official.
According to the newspaper, Putin presented the proposal to Trump during a phone call held on October 9. The meeting could take place in November, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which is expected to be held in Shenzhen, China.
Such a scenario, in which Ukraine would not be represented, could cause concern in European capitals, as decisions about the country’s future would be discussed by three leaders without the presence of the Ukrainian president. However, it is still unclear whether Trump has accepted Moscow’s proposal.
The initiative comes at a time when relations between Trump and Zelensky have become even more strained. The deterioration in relations follows the US president’s decision to ease some sanctions against Russia and delay the implementation of other punitive measures.
Reuters reported that the Kremlin had confirmed that preliminary talks had taken place regarding a possible meeting. So far, however, no concrete agreement has been reached on its organization or on the issues to be included on the agenda.
On Sunday, in a post on the Truth Social platform, Trump explained why he had not decided to immediately impose new sanctions on Moscow. He said he wanted to keep Russia engaged in the negotiating process.
“My decision on Russia is very simple. I am in the process of negotiating peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and I do not want to do anything that would drive Russia away from the negotiating table,” the US president declared.
Trump also spoke out against Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries, claiming that such strikes affect international fuel markets, including the US market.
The US president accused Zelensky of not doing enough to end the conflict. According to Trump, Ukraine could have secured more favorable terms for an agreement two years ago.
“Zelensky doesn’t care and, honestly, with all the money Europe gives him and that Joe Biden gave in the past, he does not want to end this war and perhaps never did,” Trump wrote.
Trump described the situation in Ukraine as catastrophic, citing the destruction, territorial losses and number of casualties caused by the war. These are statements reflecting the US president’s position and do not constitute an independent assessment of the situation on the ground.
The proposal for a summit between the three leaders became public following reports of an agreement between Washington and Moscow concerning the supply of Russian oil to markets, as well as the US decision to ease some of the sanctions.
The Trump administration justifies this policy by citing the need to preserve diplomatic channels and avoid obstacles to negotiations aimed at ending the war.
Zelensky, for his part, has opposed easing the sanctions and warned that such a measure could provide Russia with more revenue to finance the continuation of the war. If the proposed meeting were held without Ukraine’s participation, it would revive discussions about Kyiv’s role in negotiations concerning the country’s future. It is still unclear whether Trump will accept the invitation and whether the summit will take place during the APEC meeting in November.
