--- title: "Trump says Russia is 'behaving quite normally' regarding Ukraine and proposes trilateral meeting with Putin and Xi Jinping" description: "Trump stated that Russia is 'behaving quite normally' regarding Ukraine and proposed a trilateral meeting with Putin and Xi Jinping to discuss denuclearization and trade. Kyiv criticized these assessments." date: 2026-10-19T19:52:00.862Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/trump-russia-behaving-normally-ukraine-trilateral-meeting tags: [trump, russia-ukraine-war, putin, xi-jinping, nuclear-denuclearization, us-foreign-policy, zelensky] author: "Marina Slivenko, Andrey Kosynko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Trump says Russia is 'behaving quite normally' regarding Ukraine and proposes trilateral meeting with Putin and Xi Jinping ![Donald Trump actively gestures while speaking in the Oval Office against the backdrop of the American flag](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/19/tramp-rossiya-vedet-sebya-normalno-ukraina-trekhstoronnaya-vstrecha/tramp-rossiya-vedet-sebya-normalno-ukraina-trekhstoronnaya-vstrecha-1.webp) ## Key Points - Trump stated that Russia is 'behaving quite normally' and 'not doing very much' on the issue of Ukraine - The American leader proposed a trilateral meeting with Putin and Xi Jinping to discuss denuclearization and trade - Trump previously criticized Zelenskyy, stating that it is 'harder to deal with' him than with Putin - Zelenskyy responded by emphasizing Ukraine's right to self-defense and the ease of communicating with Trump US President Donald Trump, speaking with journalists, expressed the view that Russia is 'behaving quite normally' in the context of the war against Ukraine and the peace process. According to the American leader, Moscow is 'not doing very much' on this issue, and the same, in his estimation, applies to China. The statement came in response to a question about plans to hold a trilateral meeting involving Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping to discuss ending the conflict. ### Trilateral Meeting: Format and Agenda Trump answered a direct question about the possibility of such a meeting by saying: 'No, but I would hold such a meeting. Not so much for the sake of Ukraine.' According to him, the main agenda of such a summit would be the discussion of nuclear weapons and denuclearization. The American leader called the potential meeting 'a very positive event for the whole world' and added that it could be organized if Putin and Xi Jinping agree to it. As a venue, Trump proposed China: 'If they want, I think it would be held in China... If Chairman Xi wants to hold such a meeting, I will agree.' ### Trade as an Additional Item on the Agenda In addition to nuclear issues, Trump indicated that at such a meeting 'we will also discuss other issues, for example, trade.' Thus, the potential US-Russia-China summit, according to the American president's design, should cover both issues of strategic stability and economic relations between the three largest economies in the world. At the same time, Trump emphasized that the decision to hold the meeting depends on the readiness of Beijing and Moscow: 'But yes, I would do it.' ### Criticism of Kyiv and Zelensky's Reaction The statements about Russia's 'normal' behavior came against the background of a series of critical remarks by Trump against the Ukrainian authorities, which, according to RBC-Ukraine, followed the conclusion of the so-called 'diesel deal' with Vladimir Putin. Trump previously stated that it is 'harder to deal with' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy than with Putin, and claimed that Zelenskyy allegedly does not want to make a peace deal. In response, the Ukrainian leader emphasized that, on the contrary, it is 'easier for him to deal with' Trump than with Putin, and recalled that Ukraine has the full right to self-defense. ### Context and Significance of the Statements Trump's position, which reduces Russia's role in the conflict to a minimum and proposes shifting the focus of negotiations to the nuclear sphere and trade, diverges significantly from Kyiv's rhetoric, which emphasizes the right to defense and the need to end aggression. For the diplomatic process, such statements from Washington may signal a shift in priorities in American policy: from pressure on Moscow to the search for multilateral formats involving Beijing. The reaction of Russian and Chinese official officials to Trump's proposal had not been received at the time of publication. ## Accounts differ ### Characterization of Russia's role in the conflict and the parties' readiness for peace - **Donald Trump (US President):** Russia is 'behaving quite normally' on the issue of Ukraine and 'not doing very much'; it is 'harder to deal with' Zelenskyy than with Putin; Zelenskyy does not want to make a peace deal ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rosiya-povoditsya-normalno-pitanni-ukrayini-1792439171.html)) - **Volodymyr Zelenskyy (President of Ukraine):** It is easier to 'deal with' Trump than with Putin; Ukraine has the full right to self-defense ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rosiya-povoditsya-normalno-pitanni-ukrayini-1792439171.html)) *Where they agree:* Both sides confirm that negotiations and the diplomatic process regarding Ukraine are ongoing; the fact of the war between Russia and Ukraine is not disputed by either party. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Россия "ведет себя нормально" в вопросе Украины, - Трамп](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rosiya-povoditsya-normalno-pitanni-ukrayini-1792439171.html) - Direct quotes from Trump recorded by journalists during communication with the press. All key statements (about Russia's 'normal' behavior, the proposal for a trilateral meeting, criticism of Zelenskyy) are given verbatim. ## FAQ ### What exactly did Trump say about Russia's behavior regarding Ukraine? Trump stated that Russia is 'behaving quite normally' and 'not doing very much' on the issue of Ukraine. According to him, the same applies to China. ### What format of meeting did Trump propose? Trump proposed a trilateral meeting involving Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. The agenda includes nuclear weapons, denuclearization, and trade. He named China as the venue. ### How did Zelenskyy react to Trump's statements? Zelenskyy stated that it is 'easier to deal with' Trump than with Putin and emphasized that Ukraine has the full right to self-defense. ### Have Putin and Xi Jinping agreed to the meeting? At the time of publication, there was no official reaction from Moscow and Beijing. Trump noted that the meeting is possible if both sides agree.