❓WHAT HAPPENED: Presidents Donald J. Trump and Vladimir Putin are set to hold their first face-to-face summit in the coming days, with discussions anticipated to address the Ukraine conflict. Prior to the summit, China’s Xi Jinping spoke with the Russian leader, suggesting pressure for a peace deal may be building.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Xi Jinping.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The meeting between the American and Russian leaders could take place within days, following a phone call between Putin and Xi Jinping on Friday.
💬KEY QUOTE: “China welcomes Russia-US contacts, improving relations and advancing political settlement of Ukrainian crisis.” – Xi Jinping via CCTV
🎯IMPACT: The summit could potentially lead to progress in resolving the Ukraine crisis and impact ongoing sanctions and economic tensions.
A possible face-to-face bilateral summit with U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to be gaining momentum toward realization. Putin discussed the matter with Chinese President Xi Jinping on a phone call today, suggesting the Russian overture could be more than a tactic to delay American secondary sanctions on Russia’s shadow oil fleet.
During their conversation, Putin updated Xi on recent communications between the U.S. and Russia. According to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, Putin expressed a desire to maintain close coordination with China. Russian media echoed these sentiments. Xi, in turn, welcomed the dialogue between Russia and the U.S. and reiterated China’s support for efforts aimed at a political resolution to the Ukraine conflict.
“China welcomes Russia-US contacts, improving relations and advancing political settlement of Ukrainian crisis,” Xi Jinping was quoted as saying by CCTV. He further emphasized the importance of nuanced solutions to complex problems and reaffirmed China’s commitment to fostering dialogue to resolve regional disputes.
This call followed the Kremlin’s announcement on Thursday that Putin had reached out to Trump and requested to meet soon to discuss a potential end to the Ukraine war. Trump had previously set a Friday deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire, warning of expanded sanctions if no progress was made. It remains to be seen whether the summit will influence these plans or alter the U.S. approach to sanctions.
The Russian move follows President Trump’s announcement that the U.S. will increase tariffs on India to a total rate of 50 percent over the country’s continued purchase of Russian oil. While India and China remain regional rivals, China—facing economic strain at home—is likely seeking its own offramp from aiding Russia’s conflict in Ukraine.
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