Putin seeks trilateral summit with Trump and Xi in China

The Kremlin has proposed a trilateral meeting between Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, and Xi Jinping in China this November, aiming to accelerate a resolution to the Ukrainian conflict. Washington and Beijing have reportedly expressed initial support for the initiative. The proposal comes as Putin seeks to capitalize on Trump's willingness to make concessions amid his difficult position before the US midterm elections. Washington has already resumed Russian fuel imports, suspended new sanctions, and pressured Kyiv to halt strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, with discussions underway on US investments in Nord Stream. Russian media describe the plan as utopian, with Putin reportedly hoping to sell a "Yalta 2" vision of dividing the world into three spheres of influence. However, analysts note Europe's role as China's top trading partner makes Beijing unlikely to alienate the EU for such an arrangement.