# Putin Floats Trump–Xi Summit on Ukraine That Would Exclude Kyiv and Europe

*Monday, October 19, 2026 at 8:08 AM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk*

**Published**: 2026-10-19T08:08:53.317Z (2h ago)
**Category**: geopolitics | **Region**: Global
**Importance**: 9/10
**Sources**: OSINT
**Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/articles/20952.md
**Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries

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**Deck**: Vladimir Putin has proposed a trilateral meeting with Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in China next month to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, in a format that leaves Ukraine and European governments outside. The Kremlin says talks on the idea are ongoing with no final decision or agenda as Trump pauses new sanctions for 60 days and claims major progress.

The Kremlin is pushing a new diplomatic format for the war in Ukraine: a three‑way leaders’ meeting between Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping that would leave Ukraine and Europe on the sidelines.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Putin proposed a trilateral summit during a phone call with Trump, suggesting it be held in China next month around the APEC summit planned for 18–19 November in Shenzhen. The goal, according to that reporting, would be to discuss a settlement of the conflict in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed to the WSJ that discussions about such a meeting are underway. He stressed that there is no clear understanding yet of whether the summit will take place, and that no final decision or agreed agenda exists at this stage.

Separate Ukrainian and Russian‑language reporting describes the format as one that would exclude Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and any European leaders. A Ukrainian account summarized Moscow’s intent as seeking to end the war on terms favorable to Russia, and said Putin raised the idea of a three‑way meeting with Trump without Zelensky’s participation.

The proposed summit fits into a wider shift in U.S. policy signals. Senator Marco Rubio said Trump is pausing new sanctions on Russia for 60 days to give negotiations involving Ukraine and Russia a chance, and to determine whether diplomacy can produce a positive result and avoid another year of war. Rubio also said Washington is considering further sanctions relief for Russia, including measures affecting tankers, gas, companies and individuals, citing RBC‑Ukraine.

Trump himself has said he does not want to take actions against Russia that could drive Moscow away from peace negotiations, claiming that great progress is being made. He has argued that Russia is doing very little to help Iran and that he wants to keep it that way. In other comments, he has attacked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over strikes on Russian refineries, claiming those attacks are hurting global diesel markets, and accused him of being unwilling to end the war.

Inside Ukraine, these moves are fueling unease. RBC‑Ukraine, citing a source in government, reported that American officials were telling Kyiv to leave Donbas without offering anything in return. The same source warned that Russia would then demand that Ukraine give up Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. The report also said the United States is preparing new easing of sanctions on Russia, including for tankers and gas, and possibly for some companies and individuals.

Another Ukrainian report said Zelensky accused Trump of pressuring Ukraine to surrender to Russia. It said the Ukrainian president offered to halt strikes on Russian diesel facilities in exchange for Patriot air defense systems, while also accusing Washington of restricting Ukrainian battlefield communications.

For Kyiv, the combination of a potential summit without Ukrainian participation, talk of sanctions relief and pressure over territorial concessions raises the risk that key decisions could be shaped in forums where Ukraine is not represented. For European capitals, the prospect of a deal over Ukraine discussed in China by U.S., Russian and Chinese leaders, without European leaders present, clashes with years of rhetoric about a larger European role in its own security.

From Moscow’s perspective, a trilateral with Trump and Xi would reinforce its narrative that the war is about security arrangements between Russia and the wider West, rather than about Ukraine’s sovereignty. For Beijing, hosting such a meeting alongside APEC would underline its claim to be a central player in global security discussions.

The impact of this initiative will depend heavily on whether the summit actually happens and what, if anything, is agreed. Key signals include any public acceptance by Trump of the invitation, confirmation from Beijing that it is ready to host the three‑way format, and concrete steps by Washington to ease sanctions beyond the currently announced 60‑day pause. Changes in Kyiv’s public language on acceptable terms for talks, and in European leaders’ responses to the idea of a summit that excludes them, will show how much leverage this proposal really carries.