Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a trilateral summit with US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month to discuss the Ukraine conflict, with Moscow seeking a peace deal favourable to its interests, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.
Putin reportedly raised the proposal during a telephone conversation with Trump on October 9. The Kremlin has confirmed that discussions about a possible meeting are underway, although no final decision has been made.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told WSJ that the three sides had yet to agree on the meeting or its agenda.
“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 told WSJ.
A senior US official told the newspaper that Trump had not formally agreed to the summit but could be open to the proposal as he seeks to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
According to the report, the Kremlin suggested holding the trilateral talks alongside the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, scheduled for November 18 and 19 in Shenzhen, China. Russian diplomats have reportedly presented the proposal to Chinese officials, who indicated they would not object if Trump agreed to participate.
The proposal has raised concerns in Ukraine and among Washington's European allies, particularly over the absence of Ukrainian representation in discussions about the conflict.
Trump says negotiations making progress
On Sunday, Trump said negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict were making "great progress" while defending his administration's diplomatic approach towards Moscow. He also accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of failing to secure a better deal two years ago.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he wanted to avoid actions that could push Russia away from the negotiating table. He also referred to ongoing hostage negotiations and said he could sign the relevant document at a later date.
"My decision on Russia is a very simple one. I am in the process of negotiating Peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and don’t want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table. Great progress is being made, and that includes current hostage negotiations! Signing that document at this time will do that, and I can sign it later, or any time that I want!" Trump wrote.
Moscow and Washington discuss energy cooperation
The proposed summit follows a 90-minute telephone conversation between Putin and Trump earlier this month, which Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov described as "very substantive" and friendly.
According to Russian state news agency TASS, the two leaders discussed economic initiatives, energy supplies and international issues. They also expressed satisfaction with communication channels between their countries.
Ushakov said the presidents had not agreed on a specific date for an in-person meeting but could meet on the sidelines of the upcoming APEC summit in China if both attend.
"An important international event is coming up in China - the APEC summit. At least for now, both the Russian and US leaders are interested in attending. Accordingly, if both leaders are at the same international venue, I assume they will find an opportunity to meet, shake hands and talk," Ushakov said, as quoted by TASS.
Energy cooperation was another key subject of the conversation. Ushakov confirmed that the leaders discussed possible Russian petroleum product supplies to the United States and international markets.
Following the call, Trump announced on Truth Social that Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel fuel to American and global markets, with further shipments expected in the coming months.
The proposed trilateral summit would bring together the leaders of Russia, the United States and China, but Ukraine's absence could complicate efforts to reach a settlement acceptable to Kyiv and its European partners.