Putin proposes Ukraine summit with Trump and Xi in China

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a three-way summit with US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, pitching a deal-making format that excludes Kyiv entirely.

The initiative was raised during an October 9 telephone call between Putin and Trump, before being floated to Chinese diplomats. Russian officials suggested holding the trilateral meeting alongside the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled for November 18 and 19 in Shenzhen.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that discussions regarding a potential meeting were taking place, while noting that nothing has been finalised.

"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," Peskov said.

Where the key powers stand

A senior US official indicated that Trump has not formally consented to the summit. However, the administration remains receptive to direct negotiations as Trump continues to push for a rapid end to the European conflict.

Chinese officials have signalled that Beijing would not object to hosting the trilateral format if Trump agrees to participate, though Chinese planners remain cautious about overshadowing the broader APEC agenda.

Bilateral backdrop and energy discussions

The proposal follows a noticeable thaw in communication between Washington and Moscow. Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov confirmed that Putin and Trump engaged in a 90-minute phone call earlier this month, describing the conversation as substantive and constructive.

That conversation yielded immediate economic outcomes. Following the call, Trump announced on Truth Social that Russia would supply over 300,000 tonnes of diesel fuel to American and global markets, with further shipments expected in subsequent months.

Trump defended his diplomatic strategy online, writing that negotiations were making "great progress" and stating his desire to keep Russia engaged at the bargaining table. However, the proposal to discuss Ukraine's territorial future without Ukrainian officials present has drawn sharp concern from European allies and Ukrainian leadership.