Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a three-way meeting with US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to discuss the war in Ukraine.
What happened
According to reports, Putin pitched the idea during a phone call with Trump earlier this month. The Kremlin has expressed interest in holding the meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, on November 18 and 19.
The proposal has been met with resistance from Ukraine, with the country's top diplomat, Andrii Sybiha, criticizing the idea of peace talks without Ukraine's involvement. Meanwhile, China is reportedly open to the meeting as long as Trump is on board.
Analysts suggest that Xi wants to be seen as a global power broker by playing mediator between Washington and Moscow. However, Chinese officials are concerned that the meeting could damage their Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation showcase and strain relations with European trading partners.
The US has not yet confirmed its participation in the meeting, with a senior official stating that Trump has not signed on but may be open to it. The proposal comes after Trump recently struck a diesel deal with Russia and paused sanctions on the country.
