Kremlin says preparations for Putin-Xi-Trump trilateral summit have begun

Preparations for a trilateral summit involving Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump have begun, a Kremlin official said Sunday.

In an interview with Russian broadcaster VGTRK published Sunday, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov said the administrations of all three presidents were ready to hold the meeting.

"I can say for certain now that Moscow, Beijing and Washington are in principle ready to hold it, and preparations have already begun," he said.

Ushakov said Russia and the US have not yet agreed on a bilateral meeting between Putin and Trump on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit scheduled for Nov. 18-19 in Shenzhen, China.

However, he said such a meeting was possible, as a trilateral meeting involving Xi was being planned.

"We have not agreed on this meeting yet, because so far we have been talking about this trilateral contact," he said.

"If two presidents are in the same place, they will at least greet each other, talk while sitting at a table, talk during protocol events. Such large international summits open up great opportunities for communication," he added.

Ushakov said Russia was currently focused on the November summit in Shenzhen and would consider the G20 summit in Miami later.

Asked whether the success of the November summit in Shenzhen would influence Russia's participation in the G20 summit in Miami in December, Ushakov said: "Naturally. But I am saying that November comes first, and then December."

Ushakov also said the Trump administration understood that Russia could not be ignored and that engagement with Moscow was preferable.

"In the US, you know, the general political backdrop is extremely unfavorable to Russia. But there is the Trump administration, which is trying to take into account its national interests, which boil down to the fact that Russia cannot be ignored and it is better to interact with Russia," he said.

RUSSIA 'READY' TO RESUME TRILATERAL TALKS ON UKRAINE

Turning to Ukraine, Ushakov said Russia was ready to resume negotiations in the Russia-US-Ukraine format after Nov. 4, Russia's National Unity Day.

"Now the next deadline is Nov. 4, our big holiday. After that, we will be ready to resume negotiations," he said.

Ushakov cautioned against high expectations for the planned expert-level trilateral meeting, describing it as preliminary.

"One cannot resolve much at the first meeting. It will probably be of an exploratory nature," he said, adding that the sides still needed to work on a peace agreement.

He also said the Kremlin had believed after the Anchorage summit that Washington could pressure Kyiv into compliance, but that the effect had proved minimal.

On Europe's role, Ushakov said dialogue with the EU remained necessary because European countries were inclined to prolong the conflict.

"It is not enough to talk only to Kyiv, we must talk to the whole of Europe, which fully supports Kyiv," he said.

Separately, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on reports that Finnish President Alexander Stubb could be proposed as Europe's negotiator with Russia on Ukraine.

Peskov said Moscow would support such an appointment if the envoy sincerely sought a peaceful settlement.

"If there is a negotiator, that is good. If it is a negotiator who sincerely strives to facilitate a peaceful settlement, that will be even better," he said.