Putin Seeks Trilateral Meeting With Trump and Xi to Discuss Ukraine War, WSJ Reports
Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a summit with US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month to negotiate an end to the four-year war in Ukraine, with a possible settlement reportedly aligning with Moscow’s interests, The Wall Street Journal has reported.
The newspaper, citing a former Russian intelligence officer, said Putin floated the proposal during a telephone conversation with Trump on October 9. The call reportedly also produced an understanding concerning US purchases of Russian diesel and efforts to facilitate its sale in international markets.
Trump Confirms Discussions on Nuclear Disarmament
The reported proposal comes amid discussions between Washington, Moscow and Beijing over nuclear disarmament.
On Thursday, Trump said the United States was in talks with Russia and China aimed at denuclearisation. Speaking in an interview with Newsmax, the US president confirmed that discussions with both countries were underway. The outlet also reported that Trump had spoken with Xi about the issue.
Three Major Nuclear Powers in Focus
Russia and the United States possess the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals, while China has significantly expanded its nuclear capabilities in recent years, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
A meeting involving the three leaders could bring Ukraine peace negotiations and nuclear security into the same diplomatic spotlight. However, the Wall Street Journal report did not clarify whether Putin’s proposed summit was directly connected to the ongoing denuclearisation discussions.
The report also did not indicate whether Trump or Xi had accepted the proposal. The proposed meeting therefore remains a reported initiative rather than a confirmed summit.
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