Politics & Diplomacy
Putin proposes a three-way meeting with Trump and Xi on Ukraine in Shenzhen – the Kremlin confirms talks, with Zelensky not at the table
Vladimir Putin has proposed a three-way meeting with Donald Trump and Xi Jinping on ending the war in Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal reports; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that discussions are under way but said nothing has been agreed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a three-way meeting with US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, according to the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the talks. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed to the newspaper that discussions are taking place, but said there is as yet no agreement on either the meeting or its agenda, as relayed by Euronews and the Kyiv Post.
According to the report, the idea was raised in the Putin–Trump phone call of October 9, the same call that produced the agreement on Russian diesel exports. The Kremlin reportedly suggested holding the meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China, on November 18 and 19.
A senior US official told the WSJ that Trump has not agreed to take part but could be receptive. There is no indication that Ukraine would participate, and there has been no reaction from Beijing.
Trump: “great progress”
On Sunday Trump wrote on Truth Social that he is “in the process of negotiating Peace” in the war between Russia and Ukraine, speaking of “great progress” without mentioning any Russian concessions. “My decision on Russia is very simple,” he noted, defending the diesel agreement on the grounds that Russia is doing “very little, if anything” to help Iran.
On October 16 the American president exempted Russia from new sanctions and tariffs days before they were due to take effect, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a 60-day period to examine lifting the sanctions on Russia.
Zelensky: “denial of reality”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X that “Putin not only does not want this war to end”, saying Russia continues its attacks even though Ukraine has accepted every ceasefire proposal, and he called the easing of pressure on Moscow “denial of reality” by the partners.
According to Zelensky, overnight Russia launched 16 ballistic missiles and more than 200 drones, hitting energy facilities and leaving at least 550,000 households without power, while Ukraine received no timely warning about the ballistic missiles. On Sunday he had said the US had resumed giving intelligence on Russian launches, while Washington has reportedly threatened to halt intelligence and weapons if Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries continue.
