Putin Proposes Summit with Trump and Xi on Ukraine Conflict
A former Russian intelligence officer said President Vladimir Putin suggested a three-way summit with President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, though the meeting has not been confirmed.
President Vladimir Putin is reported to have floated the idea of a summit with President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. The suggestion emerged from a phone call on Oct. 9, according to a former Russian intelligence officer briefed to the Wall Street Journal. The proposed meeting could be held during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen in November and would not include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The proposal comes as tensions rise between Kyiv and Washington. President Trump recently defended his decision to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian diesel and to issue an executive order waiving new sanctions introduced by the late Senator Lindsey Graham. In a post on X, President Zelenskyy said the move to reverse sanctions “seems wrong to me.”
President Trump accused President Zelenskyy on Truth Social of not wanting to end the war, arguing that sanctions relief was intended to keep Russia at the bargaining table. The Institute for the Study of War warned that the October 16 executive order could enable Russia to continue financing the conflict without incentives for meaningful peace talks.
In related developments, President Trump announced an “energy ceasefire” on Oct. 11, urging Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian energy sites. Ukraine paused attacks for three days before resuming them later in the week. President Zelenskyy wrote that Russia has not taken reciprocal steps and continues to profit from the war.
The United States also faced accusations of restricting Ukraine’s Starshield satellite network, a military version of SpaceX’s Starlink. President Trump denied ordering such restrictions, while SpaceX CEO Elon Musk attributed the decision to the U.S. government and the president. Reuters reported that the White House was behind the call to limit Starshield, though the specific official was not identified.
Both sides exchanged strikes over the weekend, with Ukraine launching more than 1,000 drones at Russian targets and Russia responding with ballistic missiles against Kyiv. The situation remains volatile as diplomatic and military actions continue to unfold.