Putin proposes three-way meeting with Trump and Xi Jinping regarding Ukraine – WSJ

19.10.2026, 10:54 rubryka.com

According to a former Russian intelligence officer familiar with the situation, Putin proposed the three-way meeting during a phone call with Trump on October 9.

As a result of this call, the parties also concluded an agreement under which the United States will purchase Russian diesel fuel and facilitate its sale on the global market.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that discussions about a potential meeting are ongoing. At the same time, according to him, no clear understanding exists regarding either the execution of the talks or their potential agenda.

"There is currently no clear understanding regarding the meeting itself or its possible agenda, although all three sides recognize the hypothetical possibility of holding such a meeting," Peskov said in a comment to WSJ.

A high-ranking US official reported that Donald Trump has not yet agreed to hold such a summit. At the same time, according to the publication's source, the American president might view the proposal favorably.

One factor that could influence his stance is his desire to fulfill an election promise to end the war.

According to WSJ sources, the Kremlin offered to hold the three-way dialogue during the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Organizers scheduled the event for November 18 and 19 in Shenzhen, a technology hub in southern China.

A potential meeting on Chinese territory could represent an important step for Xi Jinping as part of Beijing's efforts to strengthen China's position as an influential diplomatic mediator. Analysts who study China expressed this assessment, as noted by WSJ.

According to the publication, Russian officials transmitted the proposal for a three-way meeting to Beijing through diplomatic channels. Other sources close to recent negotiations between Moscow and Beijing reported that the Chinese side indicated it would not object to Trump's participation in such a meeting.

At the same time, The Wall Street Journal notes that the White House declined to comment on a possible meeting among the leaders of Russia, the US, and China.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington also received a request for comment from the publication, but did not respond.

Background

It should be noted that on September 25, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump discussed Russia's war against Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, and the situation on the Korean Peninsula during a meeting at the White House.

On the eve of Xi Jinping's visit to the US, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi raised the topic of negotiations. As reported by Suspilne, he stated that he asked Trump, during talks with the Chinese leader, to call on him to influence Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to move toward ending the war.

According to the President of Ukraine, potential de-escalation steps include energy and grain matters. In his view, relevant agreements could demonstrate whether Russia genuinely stands ready to move toward ending the war.

Zelenskyi also added that at the time, Trump promised to convey this message to Xi Jinping.

It is worth noting that China officially maintains a neutral stance on the Russo-Ukrainian war and consistently avoids designating an aggressor or a victim in the conflict. In the second year of the full-scale war, Chinese authorities attempted to mediate between Kyiv and Moscow. However, Beijing concluded that the parties' positions were so distant and mutually exclusive that the prospects of reaching an understanding were minimal.

Following this, the Chinese side effectively abandoned active, practical mediation efforts, choosing instead to be a passive observer.

Currently, Beijing mostly limits itself to declarative statements regarding the need for de-escalation and negotiations to resolve the conflict. Meanwhile, Russia, considered China's closest ally, continues to ignore such calls.