Vladimir Putin has taken a major step to end war with Ukraine

Vladimir Putin has floated the idea of a meeting between himself, President Donald Trump, and Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss ending the war in Ukraine on terms that favor Russia, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. The Kremlin is considering holding this trilateral summit during the APEC summit, which takes place in Shenzhen, China, on November 18-19.

Moscow passed the proposal on to China through diplomatic channels, and Beijing has indicated it would not object if Trump agrees to the meeting. However, Trump has not yet committed to the idea, although he could be "receptive" given his campaign pledge to end the war, said a senior administration official. Putin raised the concept during a phone call with Trump on October 9, describing the format as a new Yalta Conference, which would exclude Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders.

Relations between Russia and the United States have warmed recently, with Trump agreeing to a supply of Russian diesel fuel to the U.S. and refusing to apply harsh sanctions on Russia, which would have isolated the country from the bargaining table. Despite this, Trump has harshly criticized Zelensky, urging Ukraine to stop striking Russian oil refineries and saying he is "not a big fan" of the Ukrainian president.