Putin is throwing Trump a bone-but it's laced with poison.

Key Points:

• Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a tripartite summit with Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to negotiate an end to the Russia–Ukraine war, appealing to Trump's desire for recognition as a global power.
• The summit would exclude smaller democracies like Ukraine and European nations, reflecting Trump's preference for great-power dominance and his admiration for authoritarian leaders.
• Unlike historic great-power meetings, this proposed summit is problematic because Putin is the aggressor in the war, Xi provides limited support, and Trump currently holds little leverage, having cut off aid to Ukraine and waived sanctions against Russia.
• If the summit occurs, it could formalize Ukraine's defeat and loss of sovereignty, aligning with Putin's stated war goals and coinciding with recent setbacks for Ukraine and shifts in US policy under Trump.
• Trump has expressed openness to meeting Putin and Xi but has not publicly committed to the summit; his recent acceptance of a Russian diesel fuel deal and waiver of sanctions have drawn bipartisan criticism, complicating his potential participation.