Putin Proposes Trilateral Summit With Trump and Xi on Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a trilateral summit with U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping for next month. The planned meeting aims to negotiate an end to the Ukraine conflict on terms favorable to Moscow, while excluding Ukrainian and European leaders from the discussions.

The proposal emerged from an October 9 telephone conversation between Putin and Trump, according to reporting by The Wall Street Journal. Moscow suggested holding the high-level talks on the sidelines of the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled for November 18 and 19 in Shenzhen, China. Russian diplomats have presented the idea to Beijing, where officials indicated they would not object as long as Washington agreed to participate.

Diplomatic Push on Chinese Soil

For Beijing, hosting such a gathering offers an opportunity to project global influence. Analysts note that a meeting of the three powers could advance Xi’s ambitions for China’s place in international diplomacy, positioning the country as a central mediator between Washington and Moscow.

China wants to be seen as the pivot of the great powers, and potentially as a mediator between the US and Russia.

Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center

Prior to these developments, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met in Baku, where they discussed their relations with the United States and developments regarding the Ukraine crisis. Chinese President Xi Jinping had previously met with Trump in Washington, where the two leaders agreed to extend their trade truce and stabilize relations on the basis of respect, fairness, and reciprocity. Beijing has likewise heard the idea from Moscow’s representatives, though Chinese authorities voiced worries that the gathering might detract from China’s regional prominence at APEC.

At the same time, the prospect of a closed-door agreement among the three superpowers has raised anxiety across Europe. Diplomats and regional observers warn that excluding Kyiv and European capitals from negotiations risks deciding the future of smaller states without their direct participation.

Energy Deals and Sanctions Relief

The proposed summit follows a warming of diplomatic channels between Washington and the Kremlin. During their 90-minute phone call earlier this month—described by Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov as very substantive—the leaders discussed economic initiatives and energy supplies.

Following this, Trump stated that Russia would promptly deliver upward of 300,000 tonnes of diesel fuel to the American and international marketplaces. The administration also paused new sanctions tied to a bipartisan bill while defending its diplomatic outreach. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the sanctions relief, arguing that it emboldens Moscow to continue its attacks.

Uncertain Response from Washington

While the Kremlin and Russian state media have acknowledged the discussions, confirmation remains pending. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that all three parties acknowledge the hypothetical possibility of the meeting, though no clear agenda or formal agreement has been established.

A senior U.S. official confirmed that Trump has not yet agreed to the trilateral gathering. Whether the schedules of the three leaders will align in Shenzhen next month remains unknown.

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