Putin proposes summit with Trump and Xi to discuss Ukraine without Zelenskyy - WSJ (UPDATED)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a three-way summit with US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to discuss ending the war in Ukraine on terms favorable to Moscow, The Wall Street Journal reported on October 18, citing people familiar with the discussions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would not participate in the proposed talks.
According to a former Russian intelligence official who spoke to the newspaper, Putin raised the proposal during an October 9 phone call with Trump.
The Russian leader reportedly wants the meeting to take place during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, on November 18–19.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the possibility of a meeting was being discussed but said there was no agreement on its format or agenda.
"There is no clear understanding yet about the meeting itself or its possible agenda," Peskov told the WSJ, adding that all three sides acknowledged the hypothetical possibility of such talks.
A US source told the newspaper that Trump had not agreed to the summit, although he might still do so.
Update, October 19: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that a possible three-way meeting had been discussed but said he did not know whether any arrangements had been finalized.
"There's been talks of a meeting. I don't know whether it's been finalized, but the president has been clear. He'd like the war in Ukraine and Russia to end," Rubio told reporters in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, according to Reuters.
Rubio also warned that the war carried a risk of spreading to neighboring countries, citing possible sabotage incidents and drones diverted across borders by electronic warfare.
According to the report, Russia initially proposed a meeting with China, and Beijing indicated it would not object if Trump joined.
The WSJ described the initiative as an attempt by Putin to capitalize on improving relations with Trump.
A summit at which the leaders of Russia, China and the United States discussed Ukraine's future without Ukrainian participation would be unprecedented and could alarm Kyiv's European allies, the newspaper noted.
No date or agreement for the proposed three-way meeting has been confirmed.