Ukraine lawmaker warns trilateral US-China-Russia summit could force Kyiv's capitulation

A potential trilateral meeting between the leaders of the US, China, and Russia during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit could have severe consequences for Ukraine, potentially leading to an attempt to force Kyiv into capitulation, according to Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksandr Merezhko. Merezhko, head of the Ukrainian parliament's foreign policy committee, stated that such a format threatens both Ukraine and the international order, as no party present would defend Ukrainian interests. He argued the meeting is primarily sought by Putin to project an image of Russia as a great power, though he doubts Trump and Xi would agree to it. The lawmaker noted that China would avoid openly participating in Ukraine's partition due to reputational risks, and Trump faces domestic political pressures ahead of midterm elections. Merezhko emphasized that any peace negotiations must include Ukraine and European allies, a format Putin rejects because it would acknowledge Ukraine's sovereignty.