Putin proposes Trump and Xi summit in China to discuss Ukraine, WSJ reports

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a summit in November with US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to negotiate an end to the four-year-old Ukraine conflict on terms favourable to Moscow, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday 18 October, citing people familiar with the discussions.

The Kremlin has suggested holding the three-way talks on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, which is set for 18-19 November in Shenzhen, China. However, a senior US official told the Journal that Trump has not agreed to such a summit, though he could be receptive. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed discussions were under way, but said there was no clear understanding yet of the meeting or its agenda.

According to the Journal's report, Putin raised the idea in a 9 October phone call with Trump that also produced the diesel deal, citing a former Russian intelligence officer briefed on the matter. That call followed a 90-minute conversation earlier in October. Trump has publicly said he is pursuing a peace settlement and does not want to drive Russia away from the bargaining table. Russian state news agency TASS said the leaders discussed economic initiatives, energy supplies and international issues.

The former Russian intelligence officer said Putin viewed the proposed format as a possible modern equivalent of the 1945 Yalta conference, where Allied leaders discussed the post-war order. A meeting of three major powers on Ukraine without Kyiv could heighten fears that the future of smaller states might be decided without their participation.

The White House did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment, while the Kremlin could not be reached outside regular business hours. The Russian and Chinese embassies in Washington did not immediately reply.