Russian President Vladimir Putin has floated the possibility of a three-way meeting with US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping next month aimed at finding a path to end the Russia-Ukraine war, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday, drawing on sources familiar with the talks.

The proposed discussions would exclude Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a step that could raise concerns among many European nations, the report noted.

The Kremlin floated the idea of the leaders gathering on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit scheduled for November 18 and 19 in Shenzhen, southern China.

Putin first raised the notion during an October 9 conversation with Trump, the same exchange in which the two agreed that the United States would purchase Russian diesel fuel and help arrange its distribution, a former Russian intelligence officer told the Journal.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that talks about a possible meeting continue.

"There is no clear understanding yet regarding the meeting itself or its potential agenda, although all three parties acknowledge the hypothetical possibility of such a meeting taking place," Peskov said.

A senior US official indicated that Trump has not committed to the gathering but could be open to it given his interest in halting the conflict.

Trump and Zelensky Exchange Criticism on Attacks and Sanctions

The proposal arrives as Trump and Zelensky have traded public criticisms of each other's choices, with Zelensky warning Saturday that Trump's move to waive sanctions and tariffs on Russia just before they took effect would encourage Moscow to continue strikes on Ukraine, while Trump called for a change in Ukrainian leadership.

Trump asserted on Truth Social that Zelensky "doesn't want to end this war, and probably never did," and urged the Ukrainian leader to cease strikes on Russian diesel refineries.

Neither the White House nor the Chinese Embassy in Washington has responded to the report, though analysts suggested to the Journal that such a meeting could support Xi's goals for elevating China's role in global diplomacy.

"China wants to be seen as the pivot of the great powers, and potentially as a mediator between the US and Russia," said Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center.

At the same time, Chinese officials worry the gathering might diminish China's regional focus at the APEC event, the report added.

Sources close to the discussions noted that Xi is seeking to balance backing for Putin with economic relations involving Europe, and that a trilateral meeting on Ukraine could invite criticism from European partners.