Putin proposes three-way summit with Xi and Trump to end Ukraine war

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly proposed a summit with US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to negotiate an end to the four-year Ukraine war on terms favorable to Moscow, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Kremlin suggested holding the dialogue on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit on November 18-19 in Shenzhen, China. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed discussions are underway, though no clear agenda exists yet. A senior US official said Trump has not agreed to the summit, though he may be receptive given his campaign promise to end the war. The proposal stems from an October 9 phone call between Putin and Trump, which also facilitated a diesel trade deal. Trump lifted key sanctions against Moscow on Friday. China has signaled openness to hosting, as it seeks to strengthen its role as a diplomatic broker between major powers. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy separately floated a trilateral meeting with the US and Russia at December's G20 summit.