Lahore Mirror – US President Donald Trump has expressed willingness to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month, potentially opening a new diplomatic channel on nuclear weapons, trade and the war in Ukraine.
According to Reuters, Trump said on Monday, October 19, that he would join the meeting if Xi agreed. Speaking outside the White House, Trump said the leaders could discuss nuclear weapons and denuclearization, alongside other issues such as trade.
The proposed meeting could take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled for November 18–19 in Shenzhen, China.
However, the proposal has taken on greater significance following a report by The Wall Street Journal, which said Putin had suggested using the summit to negotiate an end to the Ukraine war on terms favorable to Moscow. The newspaper reported that Putin raised the idea during an October 9 telephone call with Trump, which also produced a deal involving Russian diesel exports.
Crucially, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would reportedly be excluded from the proposed three-way meeting, raising concerns that the leaders of the United States, Russia and China could discuss Ukraine’s future without Kyiv directly represented.
Rubio confirms talks but says no final decision
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that discussions about a possible summit were underway but stressed that the meeting had not been finalized.
“There’s been talks of a meeting. I don’t know whether it’s been finalized, but the president has been clear. He’d like the war in Ukraine and Russia to end,” Rubio told reporters during a visit to Uzbekistan, according to Reuters.
Rubio also warned of the dangers posed by the continuing conflict, saying Washington saw little benefit in the war and was concerned about the risk of escalation into neighboring countries.
His remarks were also reported by HuffPost, which highlighted Washington’s continued emphasis on ending the conflict through negotiations.
Trump, however, indicated that his priority for a possible three-way meeting would be nuclear arms control rather than Ukraine alone. Reuters reported that he said the meeting would focus on nuclear weapons and denuclearization if Xi agreed to participate.
Trump also criticized Zelenskyy, saying the Ukrainian president was not helping efforts to resolve the conflict and suggesting that it was time for someone else to negotiate on Ukraine’s behalf.
The Kremlin has acknowledged discussions about a possible meeting, but its spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, indicated that there was no clear understanding of the arrangements or agenda. Reuters reported that the White House had been discussing a potential meeting focused on denuclearization for several weeks.
Rubio rejects Zelenskyy’s intelligence-sharing claim
In a separate but related dispute, Rubio denied that the United States had temporarily suspended intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, directly contradicting Zelenskyy’s account.
Speaking to NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Zelenskyy said intelligence-sharing had been interrupted for a period before Washington restored it.
“We are very thankful for this,” Zelenskyy said. “Now it works.”
Rubio rejected the claim on Monday, telling reporters in Uzbekistan: “I don’t know where he’s getting these things or why he’s saying these things to the press. You should go back and ask him. There’s been no pause.”
According to Reuters, Rubio urged Zelenskyy to concentrate on ending the war rather than publicly disputing the status of intelligence cooperation.
The disagreement adds to mounting tensions between Washington and Kyiv over the Trump administration’s approach to Moscow. Ukraine relies heavily on US intelligence to detect and respond to Russian missile attacks.
CNBC also reported on the dispute, alongside questions surrounding alleged restrictions on Ukraine’s access to Starshield, the military-grade satellite communications system controlled by the US government. Trump has denied ordering restrictions on Starlink services provided to Ukrainian forces, while SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk has said Starshield is owned and controlled by the US government.
Russian strikes intensify pressure on Kyiv
The diplomatic developments come as Russia continues attacks on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure.
Zelenskyy said Russia launched 16 ballistic missiles at Kyiv and the surrounding region, alongside more than 200 drones across Ukraine, in an overnight assault. According to CNBC, the attacks damaged more than 10 energy infrastructure facilities and left at least 550,000 households without electricity. Reuters reported that 10 people were killed in the latest assault.
The strikes have further strained relations between Kyiv and Washington, particularly after Trump temporarily waived certain sanctions affecting Russian diesel exports.
Zelenskyy has warned that easing pressure on Moscow could encourage Putin to continue the war. In comments reported by Bloomberg, he also expressed concern that Washington’s approach appeared to be pushing Ukraine towards concessions.
CNBC reported that Ukraine had briefly paused attacks on Russian energy infrastructure following Trump’s October 11 announcement of an energy ceasefire, but resumed them after accusing Moscow of continuing strikes against Ukrainian targets.
Trump has defended his decisions, arguing that he does not want to drive Russia away from negotiations.
A meeting between the three leaders could mark an unprecedented diplomatic effort involving the world’s three major nuclear powers. However, China has not confirmed that Xi will participate, and the agenda remains unsettled.
