Trump signals willingness for trilateral talks with Xi and Putin at APEC, despite Ukraine concerns

Leads on whether the leaders can agree an agenda for a possible Xi–Trump–Putin meeting at APEC, quoting experts about the agenda as a key hurdle.

Frames the story as Putin proposing a “secret” meeting without Zelensky, emphasising exclusion of Ukraine in any Ukraine-related negotiation.

Centers on Trump’s openness to a denuclearization summit, noting Putin’s earlier push for a summit and focusing on arms-control framing.

Highlights Trump’s willingness for rare three-way talks for arms control, stressing it would be without precedent and focusing on nuclear weapons topics.

Vladimir Putin has proposed a three-way meeting with President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping next month.

Emphasises Moscow’s proposal and ties the meeting to the Ukraine war, with the framing anchored in tensions involving Zelensky.

Combines Trump’s remarks with broader context: criticism of Zelensky, Ukraine’s objections to exclusion, and notes Kremlin confirmation while stating no formal agreement exists.

Leads with the Ukraine-war headline and states the reported focus on nuclear weapons/denuclearisation, while allowing that the Ukraine issue may be discussed.

Focuses on “what’s on the agenda,” contrasting denuclearisation vs Ukraine and warning that the proposal could anger Kyiv and allies.

Frames the meeting as Russia’s effort to impose its will on Ukraine, emphasising strategic context behind Putin’s push for talks.

Leads on Trump’s readiness to meet and foregrounds his renewed criticism of Zelensky and the claim that negotiations should be handled by someone else for Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump says he is willing to meet the Russian and Chinese leaders to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, while renewing his criticism of Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The US President is slated to visit China next month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and for talks with Xi on the sidelines

US President Donald Trump has said he is open to three-way arms control talks with the leaders of China and Russia as soon as next month.

The US president thinks somebody else needs to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine

Zelenskyy said he had urged the US president to engage Xi directly on the Ukraine war, arguing that the Chinese leader has influence over Putin.

US President Donald Trump has sought to warm ties with Russia and China as the two non-Western powers grow closer, a move that could lower global tensions but also raise alarms for US allies.

US President Donald Trump indicated Monday he is ready to meet Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping in China next month, saying any summit would focus on denuclearization but could also include the Ukraine war. Trump also renewed his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — whose country has been fighting off a Russian […]

Donald Trump has speculated about a three-way summit with the leaders of Russia and China, with talks focusing on nuclear arms, trade and the war in Ukraine.

Trump says he is willing to meet Putin and Xi in China, defends easing sanctions on Russia and suggests someone else should negotiate for Ukraine, drawing objections from Kyiv.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has reportedly proposed a summit for talks on the war in Ukraine, possibly during next month's APEC summit in China.

US President Donald Trump is already facing blowback from Republicans for his overtures to Putin, including waiving Russia sanctions.

The president said he would be willing to discuss denuclearization with the leaders of Russia and China.

Trump Favorable On Trilateral Meeting With Xi, Putin: "I Would Do It" Zelensky Should Get Out of the Way, Trump Suggests President Trump has once again put Zelensky in his place, in a Monday afternoon exchange with reporters he actually again suggested that the Ukrainian leader needs to be booted from leadership, and cut out of negotiations in an effort to find peace in the war with Russia. "Zelensky is a man that should've had this war settled a long time ago. If he would've listened to me, he would've made a much better deal a long time ago and he'd have a million people living... I think it's time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine," Trump said bluntly when engaging with a reporter's question. Reporter: Zelensky says you're on the wrong side of history. Trump: Zelensky doesn't know what he's talking about. I think it's time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine https://t.co/P2dskwE2h1 — Open Source Intel (@Osint613) October 19, 2026 "I'm supporting stopping the war between Russia and Ukraine... Frankly, Zelensky is not helping matters much. I think he doesn't want to stop it. I want to see people not die," the US President also said. This was in response to Zelensky earlier hitting back at Trump over some serious changes in US policy on Ukraine, including an apparent halt or at least throttling of intelligence-sharing: "you're on the wrong side of history" - Zelensky had said. In Trump's own fresh comments, he hit back hard, saying: "Zelensky doesn't know what he's talking about." Trump Favorable To Trilateral Summit (Sans Zelensky) In the wake of prior late Sunday reports, Trump has also newly declared that he is indeed open to participating in a trilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin (but without Zelensky's involvement). Trump also offered that could be focused on denuclearization. "I would do it" - Trump stated multiple times, stipulating that he'd like to see it happen if President Xi were on board, and saying it would likely be in China (since Xi just recently visited the US). Watch the crucial moment below: Trump: If Putin and Xi want a trilateral meeting in China, I would like to have it. https://t.co/AEZ6T0PvBh — Clash Report (@clashreport) October 19, 2026 We detailed Sunday that Putin reportedly first floated the idea of a trilateral meeting in an Oct. 9 phone call with Trump. That conversation also produced a deal for the US to buy Russian diesel fuel and facilitate its sale on the global market. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that discussions were taking place over a potential meeting.  After Putin Floated Summit Idea, It's Still at 'Hypothetical' Stage “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,” he told The Wall Street Journal. A senior US official earlier said that while Trump hadn’t agreed to such a summit, he said that the president could be receptive to the idea, given his desire to fulfill a campaign promise to settle the war. Trump had said it would be finished on “day one” of his new term, but he is now approaching nearly two years in office.  The Kremlin has suggested holding the trilateral dialogue on the sidelines of the coming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, the people familiar with discussions said. That gathering takes place on Nov. 18 and 19 in Shenzhen, the southern Chinese tech hub.  Asked whether he has agreed to a trilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss the war in Ukraine, President Trump says he has not, but would be open to such a meeting focused on nuclear disarmament instead. “Russia, frankly, has been fine on Ukraine. They haven't been doing much. And the same thing with China,” Trump says. — CBS News (@CBSNews) October 19, 2026 A potential three-way dialogue on Chinese soil would mark a big step for Xi in his efforts to elevate China’s role as a diplomatic power broker, said analysts who study China. Russian officials proposed the idea to Beijing through diplomatic channels and the Chinese side has indicated it wouldn’t object if Trump is on board.  And now Trump is declaring that he is indeed on board. Tyler Durden Mon, 10/19/2026 - 17:20

The US president said any summit would focus on denuclearisation but could also include the Ukraine war.

US President Donald Trump on Monday indicated he is ready to meet with his Russian and Chinese counterparts during a summit in China next month centered on denuclearization.Do

US President Donald Trump said on Monday he was open to a three-way meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to China next month, with nuclear weapons on the agenda. “We would have it to talk about nuclear weapons and denuclearisation,” Trump told reporters outside the White House before travelling to Kansas. “If President Xi wants to have it, I’d have it.” Trump said the proposed meeting was his suggestion and linked it to his November...

US President Donald Trump said on Monday he was open to a three-way meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to China next month, with nuclear weapons on the agenda. “We would have it to talk about nuclear weapons and denuclearisation,” Trump told reporters outside the White House before travelling to Kansas. “If President Xi wants to have it, I’d have it.” Trump said the proposed meeting was his suggestion and linked it to his November...

President Trump said Monday he has not yet agreed to a trilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, but he said he is open to it. "I would do it," Trump told reporters on the White House's South Lawn before heading to a midterm rally in Kansas.  "Not so much...

WASHINGTON —U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he is open to participating in a trilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin and that it could be focused on denuclearization. "We would have it to talk about nuclear weapons and denuclearization," Trump told reporters outside the White House. "If President Xi wants to have it, I'd have it." Earlier Monday, the Kremlin said that Putin, Trump and Xi could hold a three-way meeting on the sidelines of next month's APEC summit in China and that a potential meeting had come up in talks.

President Donald Trump said he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping and criticized Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

President Donald Trump said he would be willing to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping but indicated his focus would be on denuclearization efforts rather than ending the war in Ukraine.

Ukrainian ⁠Foreign Minister ​Andrii Sybiha said on ​Monday that a summit between Russia, China ​and the ‌US would ⁠encourage President Vladimir Putin ‌to prolong the war. The ​Wall Street Journal reported that Putin had proposed a ​summit next month ​with US ​President Donald Trump and Chinese President ​Xi Jinping to negotiate an end to the war on terms ⁠that would favour Moscow. FRANCE 24's Monte Francis reports.

The Russian, Chinese and US presidents, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and Donald Trump, could potentially meet at an upcoming Asia-Pacific summit in China, the Kremlin said on Monday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is pushing for a trilateral summit with President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine after months of battlefield loses and to establish a new world order — a move that's likely to fail, an expert told The Post.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is proposing a summit with President Trump and China's Xi Jinping to discuss a potential end to the war in Ukraine, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not been invited. Lingling Wei, chief China correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, joins to talk about her reporting and CBS News' Nancy Cordes has more from the White House.

Reports said the proposed meeting was raised during a phone call with Trump on Oct. 9, citing a former Russian intelligence officer familiar with the discussions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin floated a trilateral meeting with himself, President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping aimed at ending the war in Ukraine during a phone call with the U.S. leader this month, according to reports.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said a meeting between the leaders of Ukraine, the US and Russia could help end the war, while a Trump-Xi-Putin summit could encourage the Kremlin to continue it. His comments follow reports that Putin proposed meeting the US and Chinese presidents in November to discuss the war. Kyiv has also backed a separate trilateral format that would include Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is proposing a three-way meeting with President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month to discuss the war in Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal Reported. Putin proposed the summit during a phone call with Trump on Oct. 9, the Journal reported, citing a Russian intelligence officer briefed on the matter....

Beijing said on Monday that it has no information about a planned trilateral summit between the leaders of the US, China and Russia. Putin reportedly proposed the summit during a call with Trump on Oct. 9, before Trump announced a diesel deal with Moscow, with Secretary of State Rubio confirming that discussions for the summit are ongoing but not finalized.

Officials in Kyiv have criticized the idea of holding talks that do not include Ukraine, saying they would only “encourage” Putin to continue the war.

A possible trilateral meeting involving Russian, US, and Chinese leaders could happen to discuss the Ukraine conflict. This meeting is suggested to take place during the upcoming APEC summit in China next month. However, Ukraine has expressed concerns about being excluded from such discussions. Ukrainian officials believe this exclusion may encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin to prolong the war.

The Kremlin said on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could hold a three-way meeting on the sidelines of next month’s APEC summit in China and that a potential meeting had come up in talks. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented after being asked about a report in The Wall Street Journal which said that Putin had proposed such a meeting to discuss how to end the conflict in Ukraine. “Given that all three heads of state may potentially take part in the summit in China, the subject of such a hypothetical meeting was indeed raised. It was raised, but no specific proposals or agreements were discussed or put forward by anyone, either regarding the meeting itself or the possible agenda and content of that meeting,” said Peskov. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha criticised the idea of such a summit. “A trilateral meeting between the leaders of Ukraine, the US, and Russia could help end the war sooner. A trilateral meeting between the leaders of Russia, China, and the US would do only the opposite: encourage Putin to continue this war,” he said on X. Peskov, who told reporters on a daily conference call that the US was continuing its mediation efforts to resolve the conflict and that Russia appreciated those efforts, said it was obvious that Ukraine would need to be involved in any final peace deal. “Of course, a final settlement is impossible without the participation of someone in Kyiv who is prepared to take responsibility,” he said. The last US-mediated peace talks took place in February before the United States and Israel launched a war on Iran. Ukraine and Russia remain as far apart as ever when it comes to the terms of any possible peace deal.

The Russian President has reportedly suggested a trilateral meeting with Donald Trump and Xi Jinping during the November 18-19 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen. The White House has yet to confirm whether Trump will participate.Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a summit next month with US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to negotiate an end to the four-year-old Ukraine conflict on terms favourable to Moscow, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the discussions.The proposal comes amid improving relations between Trump and Putin, particularly after the US President announced an agreement to purchase Russian diesel and signed an executive order on Friday waiving key sanctions on Moscow.My decision on Russia is a very simple one. I am in the process of negotiating Peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and don’t want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table. Great progress is being made, and that includes current hostage negotiations! Signing that document at this time will do that, and I can sign it later, or any time that I want! Perhaps more importantly, Russia is doing very little, if anything, to help the Islamic Republic of Iran, compared to what they could be doing, and I want to keep it that way, and will, unless stupid people get in the way. Lastly, Zelenskyy is using Diesel Refineries in Russia as a target, knowing that these attacks are seriously hurting the world diesel markets, including those in the United States. Farmers, ranchers, and businesses of all kinds are suffering greatly from this, but Russia is, nevertheless, sending, at a low price, millions of barrels of diesel to the World. Zelenskyy doesn’t care, and frankly, with all of the money that Europe is famously giving him, and that Crooked Joe Biden gave him in the past, he doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did. He could have made a better deal two years ago than he can now. His country is in shambles, a large portion of his land is lost, his oceans and seas are gone, and his male population is low, wounded, and/or dead. I WANT THIS WAR END! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP( TS: Oct 18 2026, 4:36 PM ET )​​​​​​​​‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‍​‌​​​‍‌‍‌‌‍‌​‍‍‍‌​‍‍​‌— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) October 18, 2026Putin Raised Summit Proposal During October 9 CallAccording to the WSJ, which cited a former Russian intelligence officer briefed on the matter, Putin proposed the trilateral meeting during an October 9 telephone conversation with Trump. The call also resulted in the diesel agreement between the two countries.The Kremlin has suggested holding the talks on the sidelines of the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, scheduled for November 18 and 19 in Shenzhen, China.The proposed meeting would bring together the leaders of Russia, the US and China to discuss a potential settlement of the Ukraine conflict.Kremlin Confirms Discussions, Says Agenda UnclearKremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed to the WSJ that discussions about a possible trilateral meeting were underway, although no agreement had been reached on its format or agenda.“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,” Peskov told the Wall Street Journal.A senior US official also told the newspaper that Trump had not agreed to participate in the proposed summit but could be receptive to the idea.Putin Proposes November Summit With Trump & Xi Jinping To Discuss Ukraine WarWhite House, Russian And Chinese Embassies Yet To RespondThe White House did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the reported proposal.The Kremlin could not be reached outside regular business hours, while the Russian and Chinese embassies in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Also Watch:Zelensky Criticises US-Russia Diesel Deal, Sanctions WaiverUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has criticised Trump’s diesel agreement with Putin and the executive order waiving sanctions on Moscow.Zelensky warned that the measures could embolden the Russian President and prolong the war in Ukraine.The proposed summit remains uncertain, with Trump yet to formally agree to participate and the Kremlin acknowledging that discussions are still at a preliminary stage.

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-old Ukraine conflict that would favour Moscow, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the discussions.

Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky wouldn’t be included in the proposed talks, as Russia’s leader seeks to negotiate an end to the war that favors Moscow.

Putin floats summit with Trump and Xi Jinping to discuss end to Ukraine war

President Vladimir Putin is seeking a tripartite dialogue with President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping regarding a deal on Russia’s war against Ukraine. The summit would "discuss the situation in Ukraine in an attempt to reach an agreement on ending the four-year conflict that would benefit Moscow," according to The Wall Street Journal. As […] Putin wants Trump, Xi in Ukraine summit without Zelensky

The proposed talks come as Washington eases economic pressure on Moscow while pressing Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, raising concerns in Kyiv that the Kremlin is securing concessions without making any of its own.

Putin has proposed meeting Trump and Xi Jinping next month to discuss ending the war in Ukraine on terms favorable to Moscow. The meeting could take place during the November APEC summit in Shenzhen, China.

The Kremlin has suggested holding the trilateral dialogue on the sidelines of the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, the report said.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has proposed a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month to discuss Ukraine and seek an end to the war on terms favorable to Moscow, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the discussions. ...

Trump accused Zelenskyy of not wanting to end the war after the Ukrainian leader launched a major strike on Russian oil facilities over the weekend.

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-old Ukraine conflict that would favour Moscow, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the discussions. The proposed summit comes amid warming ties between Trump and Putin especially after the US President announced a deal to buy Russian diesel and signed an order on Friday waiving key sanctions on Moscow. Citing a former Russian intelligence officer briefed on the matter, the paper said that Putin's suggestion came in an October 9 telephone call with Trump that also yielded the diesel deal between the two countries. The White House did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment, while the Kremlin could not be immediately reached outside regular business hours. The Russian and Chinese embassies in Washington did not immediately reply to requests for comment. The Kremlin has suggested holding the trilateral dialogue on the sidelines of the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

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-old Ukraine conflict that would favour Moscow, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the discussions. The proposed summit comes amid warming ties between Trump […]

Trump's recent overtures to Putin, including a deal on diesel exports and a decision to waive a new sanctions law, have been widely criticized by Ukraine and its allies in Europe and Washington.

Trump's recent overtures to Putin, including a deal on diesel exports and a decision to waive a new sanctions law, have been widely criticized by Ukraine and its allies in Europe and Washington.

The Kremlin has floated a trilateral meeting involving Russia, the US and China at the APEC summit in Shenzhen on 18-19 November. Donald Trump has not agreed to attend, while the proposal has raised concerns about Ukraine being excluded from talks over its future.

The report comes amid mounting tensions between Ukraine and the United States, its largest military backer.

Any meeting could come as early as Nov. 18 and 19, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China.

The proposed summit comes amid warming ‌ties between Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin especially after the U.S. President announced a deal to buy Russian ‌diesel

This comes as Trump and Zelensky publicly criticize the other's decisions, with Trump claiming that Zelensky 'doesn't want to end this war, and probably never did.'

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a trilateral summit with US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month to discuss the Ukraine conflict, aiming to negotiate a peace deal favourable to Moscow, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.Also Watch: The proposal reflects an effort by Putin to capitalise on improving relations with President Trump, a move that has raised concerns in Ukraine and among Washington's European allies, especially the lack of representation from Ukraine, the report said.Citing a former Russian intelligence official who briefed on the matter, WSJ reported that Putin initially raised the idea of a trilateral meeting during an October 9 telephone conversation with Trump. The same call resulted in an agreement allowing the US to purchase Russian diesel fuel and facilitate its distribution on global markets.France Protests Turn Violent: Video Shows Historic Limoges Town Hall Engulfed In Flames As Roof, Spire Collapse Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed to WSJ that discussions about a possible meeting were underway.“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,” Peskov told WSJ.While a senior US official told The Wall Street Journal that Trump has not formally agreed to the summit, the official indicated the US President might be open to the proposal given his push to resolve the war. Sources familiar with the negotiations informed The Wall Street Journal that the Kremlin suggested hosting the trilateral talks alongside the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, scheduled for November 18 and 19 in the southern Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen.Sources close to recent discussions between Moscow and Beijing told The Wall Street Journal that Russian diplomats presented the proposal to Chinese officials, who signalled they would not object as long as Trump agreed to participate.On Sunday, 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.In a post on Truth Social, Trump described his strategy to strike a deal between the warring nations as a simple one which he said includes ensuring that Russia is not, "foolishly", driven away from the bargaining table.UAE Tugboat Hit By 2 Projectiles Near Khor Fakkan, 1 Injured As UKMTO Issues Maritime Security Warning Trump said that the diplomatic process is making great strides, touting that he can sign the document that involves ongoing hostage negotiations "anytime that I want.""My decision on Russia is a very simple one. I am in the process of negotiating Peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and don’t want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table. Great progress is being made, and that includes current hostage negotiations! Signing that document at this time will do that, and I can sign it later, or any time that I want!" Trump wrote.Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held a "very substantive" and friendly telephone conversation lasting an hour and a half, during which they 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, Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said on Saturday, as reported by TASS.'Iran Will Not Accept Threats' Says Foreign Minister Araghchi As Tehran Offers Hormuz Reopening Plan Speaking to reporters here, Ushakov said the two leaders had expressed satisfaction with the communication channels functioning between their countries and discussed preparations for major economic initiatives, including potential Russian petroleum product supplies to the United States and global markets."Putin and Trump had a "very substantive", even friendly conversation that lasted an hour and a half," Ushakov said, according to TASS.On the possibility of a face-to-face meeting, Ushakov said the two presidents had not discussed specific dates but could meet during the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in China, provided both attend."An important international event is coming up in China - the APEC summit. At least for now, both the Russian and US leaders are interested in attending. Accordingly, if both leaders are at the same international venue, I assume they will find an opportunity to meet, shake hands and talk," Ushakov said, as quoted by TASS.US Lawmakers Accuse Trump Of Favouring Putin Over Russian Oil Sanctions Waiver The Russian presidential aide added that Putin valued the attention the US leadership was devoting to dialogue with Moscow despite its domestic agenda and involvement in Middle Eastern affairs.Energy cooperation emerged as a key aspect of the conversation, with Ushakov confirming that the two leaders discussed potential Russian petroleum product supplies to the United States and international markets.Following the conversation, Trump announced on Truth Social that Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel fuel to American and global markets, followed by additional shipments in the coming months.Notably, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to the United States from September 23 to 25, during which he held what Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called a “candid and in-depth exchange of views with US President Donald Trump in a friendly atmosphere of mutual respect” on strategic and overarching issues concerning China-US relations and the broader global landscape.(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)

Vladimir Putin has reportedly proposed a summit next month with Trump and Xi Jinping to discuss Ukraine, a move that could deepen tensions between Ukraine and the US and raise concerns among European leaders. (Source: Bloomberg)

Putin Proposes Summit With Trump And Xi To Negotiate End Of Ukraine War; Zelensky Not Invited Amid an escalating war that appears to get farther from any hope of a ceasefire, let alone peace, late on Sunday the WSJ reported that Vladimir Putin has proposed that he, President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping meet next month to talk about Ukraine in an attempt to negotiate an end to the four-year conflict that would favor Moscow. Citing people familiar with the discussions, the WSJ notes that the plan represents an effort by Putin to capitalize on warming ties between Trump and the Russian leader that have alarmed Ukraine and its allies in Washington and Europe. Such a summit - one notably without the involvement of Zelensky who appears to have terminally alienated Trump in recent days - would be "unprecedented and send alarm bells ringing in European capitals and beyond." According to a former Russian intelligence officer briefed on the matter, Putin floated the idea in an Oct. 9 phone call with Trump. That conversation also produced a deal for the U.S. to buy Russian diesel fuel and facilitate its sale on the global market. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that discussions were taking place over a potential meeting.  “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,” he told The Wall Street Journal. A senior US official said that while Trump hadn’t agreed to such a summit, he said that the president could be receptive to the idea, given his desire to fulfill a campaign promise to settle the war. Trump had said it would be finished on “day one” of his new term, but he is now approaching nearly two years in office.  The Kremlin has suggested holding the trilateral dialogue on the sidelines of the coming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, the people familiar with discussions said. That gathering takes place on Nov. 18 and 19 in Shenzhen, the southern Chinese tech hub.  A potential three-way dialogue on Chinese soil would mark a big step for Xi in his efforts to elevate China’s role as a diplomatic power broker, said analysts who study China. Russian officials proposed the idea to Beijing through diplomatic channels and the Chinese side has indicated it wouldn’t object if Trump is on board. “China wants to be seen as the pivot of the great powers, and potentially as a mediator between the U.S. and Russia,” said Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, a Washington think tank. While Putin had unsuccessfully proposed a trilateral summit to both Trump and Xi on previous occasions, this time, however, it comes during a reversal of Moscow’s fortunes with Washington.  Trump just notched a deal with Putin to get Russian diesel in a bid to lower fuel prices that have slowed the American economy and hurt Republican prospects ahead of the midterm elections. On Friday, Trump halted implementation of sanctions that were to be imposed on Russia under a bipartisan bill he signed last month, drawing criticism from lawmakers, including some of his allies. The senior White House official said Trump made the decisions after seeing few other good options to lower prices. At a time when Diesel prices are soaring, in part due to limited Russian exports amid a constant drone campaign waged by Ukraine against its refineries, Trump has shown renewed frustration with Zelensky, saying the Ukrainian leader must stop strikes on Russian refineries and suggesting that the country needs a new president. U.S.-led efforts to broker an end to the war, meanwhile, have been largely stalled. In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump took aim at Zelensky, following Ukraine’s strike on an oil terminal in Putin’s hometown of St. Petersburg earlier in the day. He accused the Ukrainian leader of targeting Russian diesel refineries and said he “doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did.” The president said he was holding off on imposing sanctions because he didn’t want to drive Russia away from the bargaining table. “I WANT THIS WAR END!” he wrote.  According to the WSJ, Moscow sees a potential trilateral dialogue as a way of cementing Russia’s membership in a club of great global powers, a status Putin has sought since he entered the Kremlin in 2000. The format also excludes from the picture Europe, which the Kremlin sees as its main obstacle to clinching victory in Ukraine.  The former Russian intelligence officer who was the WSJ source, said Putin has broad, if unrealistic, ambitions for the trilateral format as a second Yalta summit, which would divide up the globe into spheres of influence.  Even if Xi and Trump are unlikely to agree to that, the image of the American, Russian and Chinese leaders negotiating the fate of one nation would be a powerful signal. In Taipei, it could reinforce fears that Taiwan’s own future might be one day bargained over in a similar forum, particularly as Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring the self-governing democratic island under its control. That said, a summit isn’t without risk for Xi. Chinese officials have concerns about allowing a geopolitical side show to overshadow their designs to use APEC as a showcase of China’s role in the region, said some of the people close to the discussions. Xi is attempting to walk a fine line between continuing his support for Putin and maintaining China’s economic ties with Europe, the people said. A trilateral meeting like this could risk drawing China more directly into the Ukraine conflict and provoke a backlash from European capitals already wary of Beijing’s tilt toward Moscow. Although, with most European capitals desperate to either export or import from China, it isn't clear what if anything that can do to express their "outrage." Tyler Durden Sun, 10/18/2026 - 19:50

A reported October 9 phone call between Putin and Trump also produced an agreement involving Russian diesel sales on the global market

Russia’s Vladimir Putin proposed a meeting with President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping next month to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.