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.
