Diplomatic channels shifted sharply as a potential three-way meeting between global powers moved into public view. Vladimir Putin proposed a trilateral summit with U.S. Donald Tramp and Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a phone call on October 9, according to reporting from the Wall Street Journal cited by regional outlets.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the idea of a hypothetical meeting among the three leaders had been mentioned given their potential participation at the Shenzhen gathering. However, Peskov emphasized that no concrete proposals, agendas, or definitive agreements regarding the summit had been finalized or discussed. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also acknowledged that the possibility of such a meeting had been discussed, though he noted he was uncertain whether final arrangements had been reached.
Donald Tramp Criticizes Volodymyr Zelensky Over Peace Prospects
Honestly, Zelensky is not doing much to help things. I don’t think he wants to stop it.
Photo: B92
Donald Tramp, U.S. President
Tramp argued that it was time for someone else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine. The American leader also remarked that Russia had behaved adequately regarding Ukraine, adding that the U.S. had provided massive assistance to Kyiv without receiving reciprocal support.
Kyiv and European Allies Condemn Exclusion from Proposed Talks
Ukrainian officials strongly rejected the framework of the proposed trilateral format. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha warned on the platform X that bringing Putin to a negotiating table alongside Tramp and Xi would only encourage the continuation of the war rather than its resolution.
Photo: РТС
A trilateral meeting of the leaders of Russia, China, and the USA would lead only to the opposite effect—it would encourage Putin to continue this war.
Sybiha argued that inviting the Russian leader to such a summit would satisfy his desire for self-aggrandizement without earning the status, labeling him a war criminal. Meanwhile, European allies expressed growing apprehension as Washington pursued separate diplomatic tracks, including a recent temporary suspension of certain sanctions against Russia and a parallel understanding that facilitates the supply of Russian diesel to global and American markets. Additionally, the U.S. administration continues to share intelligence data with Ukrainian authorities.
Energy Markets and Military Infrastructure Hit as Fighting Continues
On the ground, military operations and infrastructure strikes continued unabated across the region. Ukraine executed an attack on Russia using more than a thousand drones, resulting in fires at an oil export terminal and a refinery in St. Petersburg. In response, Moscow launched ballistic missiles at Kyiv.
Simultaneously, Russian shelling in Kyiv disabled equipment at a Datagroup data center. The company announced that its infrastructure was incapacitated, rendering restoration impossible.
Omar El Sayed is Archyde’s World Editor, focused on international affairs, diplomacy, conflict, and cross-border political developments. He brings a global newsroom perspective to complex events and helps readers understand how regional stories connect to wider geopolitical shifts.
