The Kremlin has confirmed that the possibility of a joint meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping has been discussed, as Ukraine warns that such a meeting could encourage Moscow to continue the war.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov commented on Monday on a report by The Wall Street Journal stating that Putin had proposed meeting Trump and Xi Jinping during the upcoming APEC summit in China, with a focus on ending the war in Ukraine.
Peskov confirmed that the idea had been raised during discussions but stressed that no concrete proposals or agreements had been reached regarding the meeting or its agenda.
“The question of such a hypothetical meeting has been raised. It was mentioned, but no concrete proposals or agreements were discussed or presented,” Peskov said, according to Reuters.
The idea has prompted a response from Ukraine, which opposes a format for negotiations that excludes its direct participation.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said a meeting involving the leaders of Ukraine, the United States and Russia could help bring the war to an end more quickly. However, he warned that a meeting between Russia, China and the United States could have the opposite effect.
“A meeting between Russia, China and the United States would encourage Putin to continue this war,” Sybiha warned in a post on X.
Meanwhile, Peskov said Moscow valued Washington’s role as a mediator, while acknowledging that a final resolution to the conflict could not be achieved without the participation of Ukrainian representatives.
Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, Moscow and Kyiv continue to hold differing positions on the conditions for a ceasefire and the achievement of lasting peace.
