Vladimir Putin has reportedly suggested a three-way summit with Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to negotiate an end to the Ukraine war, without Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The summit is not confirmed. The report lands as tensions between Kyiv and Washington rise.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly floated a three-way summit with U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would not be at the table.
Summit idea surfaces in a phone call
The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that Putin mentioned the meeting in a phone call to Trump on Oct. 9, citing a former Russian intelligence officer briefed on the matter. According to the report, such a summit may take place at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November in Shenzhen.
However, nothing is confirmed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said early Monday, in comments reported by Reuters: "there’s been talks of a meeting". He added that he did not know whether it had been finalized.
Kyiv and Washington trade criticism
The report comes amid mounting tensions between Ukraine and the U.S., its largest military backer. Trump defended his decision to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian diesel exports and signed an executive order on Oct. 18 to waive new Russia sanctions. Zelenskyy has argued that easing sanctions risks prolonging the conflict.
Russia, meanwhile, launched another wave of overnight attacks. Zelenskyy said Moscow fired 16 ballistic missiles at Kyiv and the surrounding region and more than 200 drones across the country. He said the strikes damaged more than 10 energy infrastructure facilities and left at least 550,000 households without power.
Over the weekend, Ukraine launched a strike of over 1,000 drones into Russia, setting fires at an oil export terminal and refinery in St. Petersburg. Kyiv had paused its attacks for three days after an "energy ceasefire" announced by Trump on Oct. 11, then resumed them last Thursday, citing continued Russian strikes.
Ukraine's First Deputy Minister for Recovery, Infrastructure and Transport Serhiy Derkach told CNBC that Kyiv still hopes to retain Washington's support.
Source: CNBC
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