Putin Pitches Guest List For Peace Talks. Here’s Who’s On It.

Russian President Vladimir Putin floated a three-way meeting with President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping next month to hash out an end to the war in Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

Putin pitched the idea during an October 9 phone call with Trump, according to the Journal, which cited people “familiar with the discussions.” The Kremlin wants the meeting held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, on November 18 and 19.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed there have been talks, but said no one has a firm plan or agenda yet. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking in Uzbekistan on Monday, acknowledged a meeting had been discussed but said nothing was certain yet. A senior U.S. official said Trump hasn’t signed on, but he could be open to it.

Kyiv is furious. Ukraine’s top diplomat, Andrii Sybiha, blasted the idea of peace talks without Ukraine, warning it would only embolden Putin and arguing the Russian leader has no business at any negotiating table while his attacks continue.

Beijing, meanwhile, is reportedly fine with it as long as Trump is on board. Analysts who study China suggest Xi wants to be seen as a global power broker by playing mediator between Washington and Moscow. But Chinese officials worry it could damage their Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) showcase and enrage European trading partners who are worried about China getting close to Russia.

The reward for Putin would be a format that cuts out Europe, which the Kremlin sees as the biggest obstacle to victory. A former Russian intelligence officer said Putin dreams of a modern-day Yalta, the 1945 summit where the victorious Allies carved up the world into spheres of influence.

Analysts say the image could stoke fears in Taiwan, where the Taiwanese are concerned their own fate could someday be decided the same way.

Trump just struck a diesel deal with Russia in an effort to bring down fuel prices. On Friday, he paused sanctions on Russia.

In a Truth Social post after Ukraine hit an oil terminal in St. Petersburg, Putin’s hometown, Trump accused Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky of not wanting peace and said he was holding off on sanctions to keep Russia at the table.

“I WANT THIS WAR END!” Trump wrote.

Last year, Trump repeatedly ripped Putin over deadly strikes on Ukrainian cities, called him “crazy,” and slapped sanctions on Russia’s two biggest oil companies.