Trump, Putin and Xi at one table, without Ukraine. What Moscow wants from the proposal and why Beijing might agree.

Moscow proposes a summit with Trump and Xi to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, without Kyiv or the EU.

The full report

Moscow is pushing for a summit with Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, without Kyiv or the EU, according to DW News. The administration of US President Donald Trump has stepped up diplomatic efforts this autumn to revive stalled negotiations aimed at ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Washington has increased pressure on Kyiv and its European partners while seeking to draw Moscow back to the negotiating table through a series of concessions, including a deal involving Russian diesel exports to the US and the temporary easing of some sanctions.

The Kremlin appears in no hurry to resume meaningful peace talks, despite agreeing to resume the peace talks mediated by Washington after November 10. Putin agreed to resume the peace talks after a meeting between US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on November 21. The next round of negotiations could take place in Abu Dhabi and would focus on "building the security system for Russia and Ukraine after the end of the war," according to Putin's aide Yury Ushakov.

Moscow proposed to hold a three-way meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, scheduled for November 18-19 in Shenzhen, China, according to The Wall Street Journal. Putin hopes to reach an agreement with Trump and Xi on ending the war in Ukraine on terms favorable to Russia, according to WSJ sources. Russia insists that Ukraine must be prepared to make territorial concessions before negotiations can move forward.

According to the WSJ, Putin views the proposed gathering in Shenzhen as a potential new Yalta Conference, referring to the 1945 meeting of the leaders of the United States, Great Britain and the Soviet Union to discuss the defeat of Nazi Germany and the postwar order in Europe. Chinese officials had indicated through diplomatic channels that Beijing would not object to the three-way format if Trump agreed to participate, according to the WSJ. Trump, whose relations with Kyiv have deteriorated significantly in recent weeks, has also expressed openness to such talks.

Temur Umarov, a researcher at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin who specializes in China-Russia relations, is not surprised by the Kremlin's proposal. He told DW that Moscow wants to feel respected by Washington and treated as a major international power. The previous US administration was unwilling to discuss questions affecting Ukraine's sovereignty with Russia without Kyiv's participation. Now, Umarov said, the Kremlin believes such negotiations may have become possible.