On October 19 in Samarkand, during a Central Asia tour in the C5+1 format, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented to journalists on rumors regarding a potential trilateral meeting between US President Donald Trump, Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which reportedly could discuss ending the war in Ukraine. Rubio's statement, made amid ongoing diplomatic contacts, became one of the most high-profile of his trip and was reported by Reuters.
"There Were Talks About Such a Meeting"
Responding to a direct question about the summit, Rubio did not deny the fact of negotiations. "There were talks about such a meeting. I don't know if it has been finally agreed upon yet, but the president has made it clear. He would like the war between Ukraine and Russia to end," the Secretary of State stated. Thus, Washington confirmed for the first time at such a high level that the trilateral format initiative was on the White House's radar, while neither confirming nor denying the final coordination of date and location.
The Wall Street Journal Version
Earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Kremlin chief proposed meeting with Trump and Xi Jinping next month to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. According to the newspaper, Trump did not agree to such a meeting. Whether such a summit will take place remained unclear at the time of Rubio's statement. This information aligns with the Secretary of State's wording that no final decision has been made yet.
Escalation Risks and "Nothing Good"
Commenting on the conflict itself, Rubio stressed that the US sees "nothing good in this war." According to him, it has "many negative consequences, including a very real risk of escalation and the spread of the conflict to another country." The Secretary of State explained that such a risk could arise "due to a failed sabotage attack or because drones, affected by electronic warfare, enter the territory of a neighboring country."
Who Will Attend the Summit and Who Won't Be Invited
As media outlets recall, Russia is proposing to hold a trilateral summit with the US and China in November to negotiate an end to the war. At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is not planned to be invited to the meeting, which underlines the limited composition of the proposed format and raises questions about how Kyiv's position will be taken into account in any potential settlement.
Context: Positions of the Parties
On the Russian side, the possibility of a meeting was also not denied: according to reports, Moscow stated that a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit was possible, but no final decision had been made yet. Thus, as of October 19, 2026, all public statements — both American and Russian — agree that the summit is under discussion and not officially finalized. The only thing the parties' formulations differ on is the assessment of whether the meeting is agreed upon in principle: according to The Wall Street Journal, Trump did not consent to it, whereas Washington emphasizes only the fact of "talks."
