Russian President Vladimir Putin has floated the idea of a three-way summit with President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. The proposal was made during a phone call between Putin and Trump on October 9, the Journal reported, citing a Russian intelligence officer briefed on the matter.
That call also led Trump to announce he would waive sanctions on Russia to purchase diesel, a move aimed at lowering fuel prices that have spiked amid the U.S. conflict with Iran. The administration separately waived newly authorized sanctions on major importers of Russian energy, drawing sharp criticism from Kyiv and from Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Reports that the White House has slowed satellite services that Ukraine relies on for air defense have further inflamed tensions with U.S. allies.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also serves as the president's national security adviser, acknowledged on Monday that there have been “talks of a meeting” related to the Journal's report. Speaking to reporters during diplomatic travel to Uzbekistan, Rubio said, “I think the President is open to anything that he can do to help bring the war to an end if it's possible,” though he stressed that nothing has been finalized. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that discussions over a potential trilateral meeting have taken place, the Journal reported.
The White House and the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Kyiv, however, has rejected the idea outright. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X that any summit excluding President Volodymyr Zelensky is unacceptable and would only encourage Putin to continue the war. “Inviting Putin to such a meeting would feed his appetite for self-aggrandizement and give him a stature he does not deserve. He is not a global leader; he is a war criminal. And Russia is not a global power; it is a global problem,” Sybiha said.
The proposed summit could take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, scheduled for November 18-19 in Shenzhen, China. According to the Journal, such a meeting would elevate Xi as a negotiator and signal that the three leaders are carving the world into spheres of influence. However, Chinese officials are weighing the risk of a high-profile trilateral summit overshadowing Beijing's hosting of APEC and its regional leadership ambitions.
The move comes amid growing pressure from GOP lawmakers over Trump's Russia policy, with some senior Republicans publicly breaking with the president over sanctions relief. Senator Lindsey Graham, for instance, has cited deep distrust of Putin in criticizing the waiver. Trump has defended his approach as part of broader peace efforts, but the controversy shows no signs of abating.
Meanwhile, lawmakers are demanding a congressional probe into reported disruptions to Ukraine's Starlink satellite service, which is crucial for its military communications. The combination of sanctions waivers, satellite slowdowns, and now the proposed summit has fueled concerns among U.S. allies that Washington is shifting its posture in ways that benefit Moscow.
As the diplomatic maneuvering continues, the fate of any trilateral meeting remains uncertain. But the very suggestion underscores the changing dynamics of global power politics, with China potentially playing a mediating role—and Ukraine's voice being sidelined in discussions about its own future.
