Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, has recently announced that he is ready to resume peace talks with Ukraine. These negotiations are taking place following increasing pressure from the United States on Kyiv and its European partners to improve conditions in the Ukraine war.
U.S. Diplomatic Efforts
The government of Donald Trump, the President of the United States, is trying to revive the stalled negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Washington has increased pressure on Kyiv and its European partners by offering a number of concessions to Moscow, including an agreement on Russian diesel exports to the United States and a temporary easing of some sanctions.
However, the Kremlin seems to be in no hurry to resume meaningful negotiations. After a meeting between Steve Vitkoff, the U.S. special representative, and Putin in St. Petersburg on November 21, the Kremlin announced that it is ready to hold technical talks with Ukraine next month.
Proposal for a Trilateral Meeting
Putin also shared some of his views with Vitkoff regarding a trilateral meeting that would include Trump and Xi Jinping, the President of China. According to reports, Moscow has proposed that this meeting take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which will be held on November 18-19 in Shenzhen, China.
Putin hopes to reach an agreement with Trump and Xi on ending the Ukraine war that would be favorable to Russia. This proposal hints at the negotiation format that the Kremlin prefers and indicates that Russia believes Ukraine should be prepared to accept territorial concessions for the negotiations to progress.
Putin has also repeatedly emphasized that he is only willing to negotiate if Russia's interests are taken into account. This stance from Russia, especially in the current context where the war in Ukraine is ongoing, could have serious implications for the future of international diplomacy.
Some researchers believe that China will participate in this meeting as a symbolic partner and will not have direct responsibility for Ukraine's future. However, other analysts argue that China and Russia have shared strategic interests and both countries are seeking to reduce Western military influence in Europe and Asia.
It seems that Putin is seeking to create a new balance of power in international relations with this proposal. He also hopes that any agreement reached in this meeting will put more pressure on the White House to have Ukraine and the European Union accept Russia's terms.
