‘Russia Is a Global Problem, Not a Powerʼ: Sybiha Reacts to Trilateral Proposal Without Ukraine

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Monday, Oct. 19, that a meeting between the leaders of Ukraine, the US and Russia could help end the war, while a summit between the leaders of Russia, China and the US could have the opposite effect.

“A trilateral meeting between the leaders of Ukraine, the US and Russia could help end the war faster. A trilateral meeting between the leaders of Russia, China and the US would have the opposite effect: It would encourage Putin to continue this war,” Sybiha wrote on X.

“Russia is not a global power; it is a global problem,” he added.

Putin’s proposed summit

Sybiha’s post came after reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed a meeting with US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss the war in Ukraine.

The proposed meeting could take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, scheduled for Nov. 18-19.

Trump has not agreed to the meeting. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that discussions were underway, but that it was unclear whether a summit had been finalized.

A senior US official confirmed that Putin had made the proposal, while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the three sides recognized the possibility of a meeting but had no clear understanding of its agenda.

China has not confirmed the proposal. Asked about reports of a possible meeting, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said she had “no information to share at the moment” at a regular briefing on Monday.

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Russia Hits 28 Substations in Overnight Strike, Zelensky Says

The Ukrainian president said earlier that Kyiv was not forewarned of the incoming ballistic missiles.

Ukraine has called for Kyiv’s seat in negotiations over the country’s future.

On Oct. 17, President Volodymyr Zelensky said the US was preparing a proposal for a summit involving the leaders of Ukraine, the US and Russia. Potential venues included the Middle East, the US and Europe, though neither Washington nor Moscow had confirmed the plans.

In September, Zelensky said Washington had proposed technical-level trilateral talks involving Ukraine, the US and Russia, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) suggested as a possible venue. Kyiv was waiting for the US to propose a date.