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Putin Proposes Summit with Trump and Xi to End Ukraine Conflict
Confirmed
In Short: Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a summit with US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to negotiate an end to the Ukraine conflict.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a summit with US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to negotiate an end to the four-year Ukraine conflict, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. Putin's suggestion came during a telephone call with Trump on October 9, according to the report.
The proposed summit, which could take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, scheduled for November 18-19, aims to favor Moscow's interests in the ongoing conflict.
During the October 9 conversation, Putin and Trump also discussed an arrangement for the US to purchase Russian diesel fuel and facilitate its sale on global markets, according to the WSJ. A senior US official told the WSJ that Trump had not agreed to the proposed summit, though he could be receptive to the idea.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the newspaper that there is no clear understanding yet regarding the meeting itself or its potential agenda, although all three parties acknowledge the hypothetical possibility of such a meeting taking place.
Trump claimed that negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict were making “great progress,” while defending his administration's diplomatic approach towards Moscow and accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of failing to secure a better deal two years ago.
The proposal reflects an effort by Putin to capitalize on improving relations with President Trump, a move that has raised concerns in Ukraine and among Washington's European allies, especially over the lack of representation from Ukraine.
During the call, Putin and Trump discussed economic initiatives, energy supplies, and international issues, with both leaders potentially set to meet in person on the sidelines of the upcoming APEC summit in China.
While a senior US official told The Wall Street Journal that Trump has not formally agreed to the summit, the official indicated that the US President might be open to the proposal given his push to resolve the war.
The Kremlin has since confirmed that discussions about a possible meeting are underway, although no agreement has been reached on whether the summit will take place or what its agenda would be.
What this adds
The Wall Street Journal report did not specify whether Putin's proposed summit was linked to denuclearization discussions.
Background
President Trump announced a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to supply diesel fuel to the US and global markets, despite ongoing sanctions against Russia.
What's confirmed
- Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a summit next month with US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to negotiate an end to the four-year Ukraine conflict that would favor Moscow, the Wall Street Journal said.
- “There is no clear understanding yet regarding the meeting itself or its potential agenda, although all three parties acknowledge the hypothetical possibility of such a meeting taking place,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the newspaper.
- The Kremlin has also suggested holding the talks on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, scheduled for November 18-19 in Shenzhen, China.
- Putin reportedly floated the idea during a telephone conversation with Trump on October 9.
What's still developing
- “Putin and Trump had a ‘very substantive’, even friendly conversation that lasted an hour and a half,” Ushakov said, according to TASS.
- “Perhaps most importantly, Russia is doing very little, if anything, to help the Islamic Republic of Iran, compared with what it could be doing,” Trump wrote.
- “His country is in ruins, a large part of his territory is gone, his oceans and seas are gone, and his male population is diminished, wounded or dead,” he wrote.
- “Farmers, ranchers and businesses of every kind are suffering greatly because of this,” he claimed, adding that Russia was continuing to supply millions of barrels of diesel to international markets at low prices.
- “Russia is capable of fulfilling its obligations, and they will be fulfilled. This issue is being mentioned during the conversations of our two leaders,” said Peskov while speaking to Indian media during a virtual briefing hosted by Sputnik India.
- “Cooperation in the military field is a very sensitive sphere and, of course, no one would discuss it publicly and openly. But, I would like to assure you that we have lots of issues to be discussed in this context, and all these issues will also be on the agenda during the visit," he noted.
- Peskov said that military cooperation would be an important area of discussion during Putin's visit to New Delhi, while noting that the details could not be discussed publicly.
- In a post on Truth Social, Trump described his strategy to strike a deal between the warring nations as a simple one, saying it included ensuring that Russia was not, “foolishly”, driven away from the bargaining table.
- Trump said the diplomatic process was making great strides, adding that he could sign the document involving ongoing hostage negotiations “anytime that I want”.