US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the possibility of a trilateral meeting between US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin is being discussed. At the same time, he noted that he does not know whether holding the meeting has been definitively agreed.
During a visit to Uzbekistan, Rubio was asked about a possible meeting between Trump, Putin and Xi Jinping to discuss ending the Russia-Ukraine war. Reuters quoted his remarks.
“The possibility of such a meeting is being discussed. I do not know whether it has been definitively agreed, but the president has made it clear: he would like the war between Ukraine and Russia to end.”
Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State
Rubio also said that the United States sees “many negative aspects” in Russia’s war against Ukraine, including “a very real risk of escalation and the conflict spreading to another country.” According to him, this could happen through sabotage or as a result of drone attacks, with drones potentially entering a neighboring country due to the operation of electronic warfare systems.
What The Wall Street Journal reported
Earlier, The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources, reported that Putin had proposed holding such a meeting next month. According to the newspaper’s sources, the talks could aim to reach an agreement to end the full-scale war on terms favorable to Moscow.
As the newspaper noted, the initiative may indicate Putin’s desire to take advantage of the warming of relations with Trump. This has raised concerns in Ukraine, as well as among its allies in Washington and Europe.
A summit without the participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would be an unprecedented step and could cause concern in European capitals. Talks on ending the war without Ukraine and Europe create a risk that decisions about Ukraine’s future could be made without its consent.
Previous reports of a possible meeting
On September 22, Bloomberg reported that Putin was planning to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in China. Russian officials at the time suggested the possibility of a trilateral meeting involving Putin, Xi Jinping and Trump.
Earlier, Zelenskyy said he was ready to meet with Putin at the G20 summit, which will take place in the United States in December.
