Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a summit next month with US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. The meeting could take place as early as November 18 and 19 on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China.
The proposal comes amid warming ties between Trump and Putin. While Trump indicated he would be willing to meet with Putin and Xi, he suggested his primary focus would be on denuclearization efforts rather than ending the conflict in Ukraine.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that such a summit would encourage Putin to prolong the war. Concerns are heightened by the fact that President Zelensky would not be included in the talks, which Putin intends to use to negotiate an end to the conflict on terms that favor Moscow.
The proposed meeting occurs amid mounting tensions between Ukraine and the United States. Washington has been easing economic pressure on Moscow while pressing Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, leading to fears in Kyiv that the Kremlin is securing concessions without making any of its own.