The Kremlin is insisting on a trilateral meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The idea was discussed during a telephone conversation between Putin and Trump on October 9, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing informed sources and a former Russian intelligence officer.
The Russian president has proposed that the talks be held within the framework of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, scheduled for November 18-19 in China. According to the publication, Moscow's goal is to reach a solution to the war in Ukraine that is beneficial to Russia.
No final agreement
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the possibility of such a meeting had been discussed, but said that no concrete decisions had been made. “Neither the meeting itself nor its possible agenda and content have been discussed or presented with any substantive proposals or agreements”, Peskov said, quoted by the Associated Press.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also confirmed that there had been talks about a possible meeting, but stressed that no final agreement had been reached. "I think the president is open to anything that can help end the war, if that's possible," Rubio said, according to The Washington Post.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, said there was no information about a meeting between Xi Jinping, Trump and Putin. This means that the proposal has not been confirmed by Beijing at this time.
What the Kremlin is aiming for, according to ISW
According to the analysis of the Institute for the Study of War, the initiative has a broader political goal than discussing the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin is seeking to present Russia as an equal participant in global politics alongside the United States and China.
The ISW also links the proposed format to the Russian concept of an “alternative Eurasian security architecture“, which Moscow has been developing since the spring of 2024. According to the institute, this concept is aimed at weakening the influence of NATO and Western countries.
The inclusion of Russia in relations between Washington and Beijing could give Putin additional weight in front of Trump and create an opportunity for Moscow to seek concessions from the United States without taking real steps towards ending the war. Ukraine is not listed among the participants in the proposed format.
Trump said he was open to meeting with Putin and Xi Jinping if it could help end the conflict. However, there are no confirmed dates, participants, or agendas for the possible talks yet.
Sources: obozrevatel.com, apnews.com, washingtonpost.com