Putin Proposes Next Month’s Trilateral Summit with U.S. and Chinese Leaders to Discuss Ceasefire
According to media reports, Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a trilateral meeting next month with U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s leader to discuss how to end the war in Ukraine, now in its fifth year.
The report, citing a former Russian intelligence official, was published by The Wall Street Journal on October 18. It stated that Putin raised the idea during a phone call with Trump on October 9.
However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a possible meeting among the three leaders is under consideration, while emphasizing that no concrete arrangements have yet been made regarding either the meeting itself or its agenda.
U.S. senior officials said Trump has not formally agreed to attend, but has consistently expressed a desire to conclude the conflict in Ukraine, indicating an open stance toward the proposal.
The report also noted that Putin and Trump reached an agreement during their conversation on diesel: Russian diesel could be sold to the United States, with American assistance in distributing it globally.
Additional reporting indicates that during their recent phone call, the two leaders also agreed on allowing Russia to supply oil and petroleum products to the U.S. and global markets, with the U.S. waiving new sanctions against Russia. This arrangement has drawn widespread criticism from Ukraine, elements within the U.S. government, and American allies.
Regarding timing and location, The Wall Street Journal reported that Putin suggested holding the trilateral summit during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled for November 18–19 in Shenzhen, China. APEC is a major economic forum for the Asia-Pacific region, typically drawing participation from numerous heads of state and government.
Bloomberg noted that convening a summit focused exclusively on Ukraine without the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would be an unusual diplomatic move, likely to provoke protests from Kyiv and its international partners.
Trump said on Sunday that he had struck the deal with Russia because he did not want to push Putin “off the negotiating table” in talks with Ukraine. In other words, he aims to keep Russia engaged in the negotiation process.
Meanwhile, relations between Ukraine and the U.S. presidency continue to deteriorate. Speaking to Bloomberg on Sunday, Zelenskyy accused Trump of attempting to pressure Kyiv into making concessions to Russia.
Earlier this month, Putin also expressed willingness to hold a trilateral meeting with China’s leadership and Trump during his speech at the Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow, provided that the agenda is first clarified.
At present, the proposal for a trilateral summit between Russia, the U.S., and China remains unconfirmed. Whether it will take place, when it will occur, and what topics will be discussed remain unresolved.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1879462223283203/
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