Putin proposes trilateral summit with Trump and Xi to end Ukraine war

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a trilateral summit with US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, according to The Wall Street Journal. The proposal was made during a call with Trump on October 9. The Kremlin confirmed the proposal, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating that all three parties acknowledge the hypothetical possibility of such a meeting, though no clear agenda exists yet. The summit could occur on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Shenzhen on November 18-19. Putin reportedly believes Trump is aligned with his position, as Trump has pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to accept Russian terms, paused energy tariffs on Russia, and scrapped intelligence-sharing with Ukraine. Observers note the deal reflects broader efforts to divide global spheres of influence, while Ukraine and European partners insist any agreement without them would be meaningless.