US President Donald Trump has expressed willingness to participate in a trilateral summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
However, he said the discussions would focus primarily on nuclear weapons and disarmament rather than ending Russia’s war against Ukraine, according to Forbes Breaking News on October 19.
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Speaking to reporters, Trump said he would consider attending such a meeting, while downplaying the need to address the war in Ukraine as its central issue.
“I would do it. Not so much for Ukraine, because Russia, frankly, has been fine on Ukraine. The haven’е been doing much. And the same thing with China,” Trump said.
According to the US president, nuclear weapons and disarmament could become the main subjects of discussions between the three leaders.
“If President Xi wants to have it, I’d have it,” Trump added.
Trump’s remarks follow reports that Putin had proposed a trilateral meeting aimed at discussing the war in Ukraine and pursuing a potential settlement favorable to Moscow.
According to Suspilne on October 19, citing The Wall Street Journal, the proposed summit could take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, scheduled for November 18–19 in Shenzhen, China.
A source familiar with the discussions said Putin raised the proposal during an October 9 telephone conversation with Trump. The two leaders also reportedly reached an agreement on US purchases of Russian diesel fuel and assistance in facilitating its sales on international markets.
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The discussions come amid broader uncertainty over Washington’s approach to negotiations with Moscow, particularly following Trump’s recent decision to suspend additional sanctions against Russia.
According to BBC News on October 19, Trump blocked several sanctions targeting Russia just two days before they were scheduled to take effect, arguing that imposing further restrictions could discourage Moscow from participating in peace negotiations.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed concern that Washington’s recent decisions increasingly appear to be pressuring Kyiv to accept Moscow’s demands as part of a potential agreement to end the war.
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