Putin Pitches Trump-Xi Summit to End Ukraine War on Moscow’s Terms
(MENAFN) Vladimir Putin has floated a three-way summit with Donald Trump and Xi Jinping as early as next month, aiming to broker an end to the Ukraine war on terms that favor Moscow, a major U.S. business newspaper reported.
The Russian leader made the pitch during an Oct. 9 phone call with the U.S. president, the newspaper said, citing a former Russian intelligence officer briefed on the matter.
The same call produced a deal for Washington to buy Russian diesel fuel and help market it globally, according to the report.
Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Kremlin, confirmed that talks on a possible meeting were underway.
“There is no clear understanding yet regarding the meeting itself or its potential agenda, although all three parties acknowledge the hypothetical possibility of such a meeting taking place,” he told the newspaper.
A senior U.S. official said Trump has not committed to the summit but may be receptive, given his campaign promise to end the war.
People familiar with the talks said the Kremlin wants the meeting held on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, set for Nov. 18-19 in Shenzhen, China.
Moscow relayed the idea to Beijing through diplomatic channels, and China signaled it would not object if Trump agreed, according to people familiar with recent exchanges between the two capitals.
The former intelligence officer said Putin has pushed for a trilateral summit with Trump and Xi on several earlier occasions.
The diesel agreement is aimed at easing fuel prices that have strained the U.S. economy and dented Republican prospects heading into the midterm elections.
On Friday, Trump also put on hold the enforcement of sanctions against Russia under a bipartisan bill he signed last month.
According to the former officer, Putin has lofty and possibly unrealistic aims for the format, picturing a second Yalta-style summit that would carve up the world into spheres of influence.
Some of those familiar with the discussions said Chinese officials fear the spectacle could eclipse Beijing’s plans to use the APEC gathering to showcase China’s regional role.
Xi is trying to keep backing Putin while preserving China’s economic ties with Europe, the people said.
The Russian leader made the pitch during an Oct. 9 phone call with the U.S. president, the newspaper said, citing a former Russian intelligence officer briefed on the matter.
The same call produced a deal for Washington to buy Russian diesel fuel and help market it globally, according to the report.
Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Kremlin, confirmed that talks on a possible meeting were underway.
“There is no clear understanding yet regarding the meeting itself or its potential agenda, although all three parties acknowledge the hypothetical possibility of such a meeting taking place,” he told the newspaper.
A senior U.S. official said Trump has not committed to the summit but may be receptive, given his campaign promise to end the war.
People familiar with the talks said the Kremlin wants the meeting held on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, set for Nov. 18-19 in Shenzhen, China.
Moscow relayed the idea to Beijing through diplomatic channels, and China signaled it would not object if Trump agreed, according to people familiar with recent exchanges between the two capitals.
The former intelligence officer said Putin has pushed for a trilateral summit with Trump and Xi on several earlier occasions.
The diesel agreement is aimed at easing fuel prices that have strained the U.S. economy and dented Republican prospects heading into the midterm elections.
On Friday, Trump also put on hold the enforcement of sanctions against Russia under a bipartisan bill he signed last month.
According to the former officer, Putin has lofty and possibly unrealistic aims for the format, picturing a second Yalta-style summit that would carve up the world into spheres of influence.
Some of those familiar with the discussions said Chinese officials fear the spectacle could eclipse Beijing’s plans to use the APEC gathering to showcase China’s regional role.
Xi is trying to keep backing Putin while preserving China’s economic ties with Europe, the people said.
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