Putin proposes summit with US, China on Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested a meeting with US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in November to discuss ending the conflict in Ukraine, according to the Wall Street Journal. The idea was raised during a phone call between Putin and Trump on October 9, and the proposed summit came after Trump agreed to buy Russian diesel fuel and facilitate its international sale through a recent phone call.

However, a senior US official told the Journal that Trump had not agreed to attend the summit, though he might be receptive to the proposal given his commitment to bringing the war in Ukraine to an end. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Trump of attempting to coerce Kyiv into surrendering to Russia, as tensions between the leaders escalated.

A possible venue for the meeting was suggested to be during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen on November 18 and 19. An unusual diplomatic move, excluding Zelenskyy from the summit, would likely face protests from Kyiv and its allies.