Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly proposed a trilateral summit with US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, seeking an agreement on terms favourable to Moscow.

The proposal was revealed by The Wall Street Journal as Trump intensified his attacks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing him of being unwilling to pursue peace while defending his decision to suspend sanctions against Russia in order to keep negotiations alive.

According to the American newspaper, Putin made the proposal during a telephone conversation with Trump on 9 October, when the two sides also reached an agreement on supplying Russian diesel to the US and international markets.

Putin’s proposal for a summit without Zelensky

Citing a former Russian intelligence official, The Wall Street Journal reported that Putin suggested holding a meeting with the US and Chinese presidents in November to negotiate an agreement on the war in Ukraine.

According to the report, Moscow proposed that the summit take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting, scheduled for November in Shenzhen, China.

Crucially, the proposal does not envisage the participation of Zelensky, despite the discussions directly concerning his country’s future.

The American newspaper noted that such a development could cause considerable concern in European capitals, as the three leaders would be discussing the terms for ending the war without Ukraine’s leadership at the table.

There has so far been no confirmation that Trump has accepted the proposal, while Moscow is reportedly seeking to establish a diplomatic process that would produce a settlement favourable to Russian interests.

Russian diesel deal and suspension of sanctions

Putin’s proposal coincided with an agreement reached on 9 October to increase Russian diesel exports to the United States and other international markets.

Washington eased restrictions on the sale of Russian fuel, with the US administration arguing that the agreement would benefit both energy markets and efforts to revive the peace process.

According to Reuters, US officials believe the diesel agreement could help change Moscow’s position and encourage its return to substantive negotiations.

The decision has prompted criticism, with opponents arguing that it offers Russia economic relief without securing corresponding concessions towards ending hostilities.

Trump attacks Zelensky: ‘He doesn’t want to end the war’

Against this backdrop, Donald Trump launched another fierce attack on Zelensky in a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, 18 October.

The US President defended his decision to hold off on imposing new sanctions against Russia, explaining that his main objective was to prevent Moscow from abandoning negotiations. “My decision regarding Russia is very simple. I am in the process of negotiating peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and I do not want to do anything that would foolishly drive Russia away from the negotiating table,” he wrote.

Trump also claimed that significant progress had been made in the talks, including what he described as ongoing negotiations concerning hostages, although he did not specify whom he was referring to.

He further defended his ability to sign the relevant sanctions document at a later stage. “Signing that document right now would have that effect, and I can sign it later, or whenever I want,” he said, linking his decision to his desire to keep Russia engaged in negotiations.

Iran and Moscow’s role in the Middle East

In the same post, the US President linked his policy towards Russia to developments in the Middle East, particularly Moscow’s position on Iran.

He claimed that Russia was currently providing Tehran with only limited assistance compared with what it was capable of offering. “Perhaps most importantly, Russia is doing very little, if anything, to help the Islamic Republic of Iran, compared with what it could be doing,” Trump wrote.

He added that he wanted this situation to continue and appeared determined not to allow the balance to be disrupted, unless, as he put it, “some fools get in the way”.

Trump blames Zelensky for attacks on Russian oil refineries

The US President was particularly critical of Ukrainian strikes against energy facilities in Russia.

Trump accused Zelensky of targeting Russian diesel refineries despite knowing, he claimed, that such attacks were seriously affecting international fuel markets, including those in the United States. “Zelensky is targeting diesel refineries in Russia, knowing that these attacks are seriously hurting global diesel markets, including those in the United States,” he wrote.

According to Trump, the consequences of the attacks are being felt across numerous sectors of the American economy. “Farmers, ranchers and businesses of every kind are suffering greatly because of this,” he claimed, adding that Russia was continuing to supply millions of barrels of diesel to international markets at low prices.

The President’s remarks come as Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy facilities continue, alongside Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

‘He could have secured a better deal two years ago’

Trump went beyond criticising Ukrainian attacks, directly questioning Zelensky’s intentions regarding an end to the war. “Zelensky doesn’t care and, frankly, with all the money that Europe is famously giving him, and that ‘Crooked’ Joe Biden gave him in the past, he doesn’t want to end this war and probably never did,” Trump claimed.

The US President also argued that Ukraine’s leadership had missed an opportunity to secure more favourable terms for the country.

“He could have made a better deal two years ago than he can now,” he said.

Trump went on to paint a bleak picture of the situation in Ukraine, claiming that the country had suffered immense destruction and losses. “His country is in ruins, a large part of his territory is gone, his oceans and seas are gone, and his male population is diminished, wounded or dead,” he wrote.

These are claims made by the US President, and some of his descriptions, including the reference to Ukraine losing its “oceans and seas”, do not literally reflect the country’s geographical reality.

Trump concluded his post with an emphatic message written entirely in capital letters: “I WANT THIS WAR TO END!”