Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a trilateral summit with US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month to discuss a possible settlement to the Ukraine war, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
The proposal, reportedly aimed at securing a peace deal favourable to Moscow, could see the three leaders meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled for November 18 and 19 in Shenzhen, China.
According to the report, Putin raised the idea during a telephone conversation with Trump on October 9. Russian diplomats subsequently presented the proposal to Chinese officials, who indicated they would not object if the US president agreed to participate.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that discussions about a possible meeting were taking place but said no clear understanding had been reached regarding the summit or its agenda.
A senior US official told the newspaper that Trump had not formally agreed to the proposal, although he could be receptive to the idea as he seeks to negotiate an end to the conflict.
The proposal has raised concerns in Ukraine and among European allies of the United States, particularly because Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would not be represented at the proposed meeting. The absence of Ukraine from discussions about a settlement to the war could complicate efforts to reach an agreement acceptable to Kyiv.
Meanwhile, Trump said on Sunday that negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict were making “great progress”. In a post on Truth Social, he defended his approach towards Moscow, saying he did not want to take steps that could push Russia away from the negotiating table.
The proposed summit comes amid signs of renewed diplomatic engagement between Washington and Moscow. Putin and Trump held a telephone conversation earlier this month, discussing economic initiatives, energy supplies and international issues, according to Russian officials.
Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said the two leaders could meet in person during the upcoming APEC summit if both attend, although no specific date has been agreed upon.
While the proposal could create another diplomatic channel for discussions on the war, it remains uncertain whether the three leaders will meet or whether any talks would produce progress towards a settlement.