Putin Eyes Yalta-Style Summit with Trump and Xi to Redraw World Order

Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly seeking a trilateral summit with former U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine and establish global spheres of influence, an ambition that echoes the 1945 Yalta Conference. The proposal, floated by Putin during an October 9 call with Trump, aims to secure a peace deal favorable to Moscow and redefine international power dynamics.

The Kremlin is attempting to arrange this meeting on the sidelines of the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in China, according to The Wall Street Journal. The envisioned Yalta-style summit, named after the 1945 meeting where Allied leaders divided Europe into spheres of influence, would aim to solidify a new world order with Russia and China.

Experts, however, view such a proposal as unrealistic and contrary to U.S. interests. Seth Jones, president of the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, stated that this arrangement would oppose American interests in both Europe and the Pacific and could increase the risk of World War III if Russia were to expand into NATO territories.

Putin's push for diplomacy is seen by some as a maneuver to offset significant battlefield losses Russia has sustained in Ukraine. The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates around 500,000 Russian soldiers have died in the conflict, a number vastly exceeding Soviet and Russian fatalities in all wars combined since World War II. Ukraine, meanwhile, has made territorial gains, recapturing hundreds of square miles and liberating multiple villages this year.

"Russians are frustrated with how the war is going and they are making a play to increase their bargaining position," Jones explained. He added that any such meeting would likely not be favorable to Ukraine, emphasizing that a lasting resolution would require Ukraine and European nations to be involved in negotiations.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has indicated that both China and the U.S. are aware of the potential summit, though details regarding timing and agenda remain unconfirmed. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that discussions about meetings have occurred, but nothing is finalized, reiterating the U.S. commitment to seeking opportunities to end the war. Former President Trump has also stated his intent to negotiate peace in Ukraine, cautioning against actions that could deter Russia from the bargaining table.