Putin proposes Trump-Xi summit on Ukraine deal, Rubio shares US stance

Russian president Vladimir Putin has proposed a trilateral talks with US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to discuss a peace deal on the Ukraine conflict.

According to the Wall Street Journal citing sources privy to the matter, the proposed summit is meant to favour Moscow in drafting the peace plan. As per the source, the idea of holding a summit was floated during Putin’s telephone call with Trump on October 9 that ended with a diesel deal between the two countries.

According to the report, the Kremlin has proposed holding the trilateral talks on the sidelines of the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which is scheduled for November 18–19 in Shenzhen.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the possibility of such a 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.

Although no response has come from either the White House or Xi’s office. But a senior US official told the media outlet that Trump had not agreed to such a summit but “he could be receptive to the idea.”

Putin’s proposal comes as the international community is witnessing the warming ties between Washington and Moscow marked by the diesel deal and suspension of Russia sanctions.

Soon after the proposal, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded that Ukraine and Russia should be focused on ending the war between them.

Speaking about the possibility of a trilateral summit, Rubio said, "There's been talks of a ​meeting. I don't know whether it's been finalized, but the ⁠president has been clear. He'd like the war in Ukraine and ​Russia to end."

"We see nothing good coming from this ​war. We see a lot of downside to it, including the very ‌real ⁠risk of escalation and spread of this thing.., Rubio added.