Putin Pitches 3-Way Ukraine Summit With Trump and Xi, Excluding Zelensky
Updated
Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Oct 19
Putin Pitches 3-Way Ukraine Summit With Trump and Xi, Excluding Zelensky
3 articles · Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Oct 19
Summary
Oct. 9 talks between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump included a Kremlin proposal for a three-way summit with Xi Jinping on ending the Ukraine war, with Volodymyr Zelensky left out.
Next month's APEC meeting in Shenzhen was floated as the venue, but the Kremlin said no agreement or agenda has been finalized; a senior U.S. official said Trump has not committed to attend.
China has signaled it would not object if Trump joins, while Moscow sees the format as a way to place Russia alongside the U.S. and China in shaping any settlement.
The proposal lands as Washington has eased pressure on Moscow: Trump on Friday paused most new Russia sanctions and tariffs for up to 60 days, citing energy prices and negotiations.
Trump's ties with Zelensky have worsened further after a Ukrainian drone strike on a St. Petersburg oil terminal, feeding fears that any big-power deal could sideline both Kyiv and Europe.
October 2026 Crisis: Russian Strikes, U.S. Aid Cut, and the Great Power Deal That Fractured the West
Overview
In October 2026, Russia launched a massive aerial assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, causing widespread blackouts and a sharp rise in civilian casualties. As Russian attacks intensified, the U.S. threatened to halt intelligence sharing and weapon deliveries unless Ukraine stopped striking Russian oil refineries. This led to a breakdown in U.S.-Ukraine cooperation, leaving Ukrainian cities exposed to missile strikes. Meanwhile, President Trump, under pressure from rising energy costs before U.S. midterm elections, struck a controversial deal to import Russian diesel and waived key sanctions. These moves triggered outrage in Ukraine and Europe, prompting Kyiv to seek stronger ties with European allies and the EU to prepare its toughest sanctions package yet against Russia.