Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed a trilateral summit with U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss ending the Ukraine war. The potential meeting, suggested during an October telephone call, could occur on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China, while excluding Ukrainian representation.
The diplomatic landscape surrounding the Ukraine conflict shifted as Russian President Vladimir Putin floated a high-stakes three-way meeting involving U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to reports detailing the diplomatic proposal, the Kremlin suggested holding the talks alongside the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China. The proposal emerged during an October 9 telephone conversation between Putin and Trump.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that discussions about a possible gathering are underway, though the agenda remains unformed. 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 acknowledged to media inquiries on the diplomatic outreach. A senior U.S. official indicated that while Trump has not formally agreed to the summit, he might prove receptive given his stated desire to resolve the conflict.
Excluding Kyiv and Raising European Concerns
The prospect of a summit that gathers Washington, Moscow, and Beijing without Ukrainian participation has generated immediate alarm in Kyiv and across European capitals. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would be entirely excluded from discussions concerning his nation’s future, echoing warnings voiced by diplomats that smaller states risk being sidelined in great-power negotiations.
Polls consistently show that most Americans support Ukraine and have a negative view of Putin. Trump’s relentless attacks on Ukraine and attempts to force it to surrender to Russia, while openly siding with Putin, will turn November’s blue wave into a blue tsunami. https://t.co/5qqBwG22pu
Tensions between Washington and Kyiv have concurrently intensified. President Trump lashed out at Zelenskyy on social media, accusing the Ukrainian leader of launching drone strikes against Russian diesel refineries to disrupt world fuel markets and avoid ending the conflict. Zelenskyy pushed back against the U.S. administration’s diplomatic posture, stating in a post on X that America should see that Russia is not taking any reciprocal steps in response to sanctions relief or agreements.
European governments also worry about Beijing’s expanding diplomatic footprint. Hosting the summit would provide Xi Jinping with an opportunity to position China as an indispensable global intermediary between Washington and Moscow, though Chinese officials remain cautious that the event could overshadow the APEC proceedings they are hosting.
Diesel Deals and Paused Sanctions
The October 9 phone call between Putin and Trump yielded immediate economic adjustments alongside the summit proposal. Following the conversation, the two leaders discussed economic initiatives and energy supplies. Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov described the 90-minute call as very substantive
and friendly.
Unresolved Questions Ahead of Shenzhen
With the APEC summit in Shenzhen approaching next month, several key uncertainties remain. President Trump’s formal attendance and final decision regarding the trilateral format are still unconfirmed. Meanwhile, regional observers in places like Taiwan are closely monitoring the precedent of great powers negotiating territorial futures without local representation. Whether Washington, Moscow, and Beijing can advance meaningful talks without Kyiv at the table depends entirely on decisions yet to be made in the White House.
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