Putin Proposes Trump-Xi Summit on Ukraine Without Kyiv

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a trilateral summit with US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine on terms favorable to Moscow, according to The Wall Street Journal. The meeting, which could occur on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen, would exclude Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, an unprecedented move likely to alarm Kyiv and European allies. Putin raised the idea during a 9 October phone call with Trump, which also led to an agreement for the US to buy Russian diesel fuel. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed discussions are underway but no firm arrangements have been made, while a senior US official said Trump has not agreed to the summit. China has indicated it would not object if Trump accepts, potentially strengthening Xi's role as an international mediator. Trump faces domestic pressure over his Russia policy, having halted sanctions implementation and urged Zelenskyy to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries. The US president has also criticized the Ukrainian leader, accusing him of not wanting to end the war, while US-led peace efforts have largely stalled.