Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is an intergovernmental forum of 21 economies in the Asia-Pacific region, established in 1989. It works to promote free trade and investment, economic integration and growth across the region. APEC holds annual summits of member economy leaders, along with numerous ministerial meetings and working group sessions throughout the year.
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US-mediated Ukraine-Russia talks set for November 10-11 in Abu Dhabi
Working-level talks between Ukraine and Russia, mediated by the United States, are scheduled for November 10-11 in Abu Dhabi. The agenda includes postwar security, de-escalation, humanitarian measures and further steps toward peace, while parallel discussions in Brussels will address Ukraine's security guarantees and reconstruction.
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Trump Announces Forthcoming Zelenskyy-Putin Meeting as Abu Dhabi Talks Take Shape
US President Donald Trump said a meeting involving Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin would be organized "very soon," while expecting significant progress on the war in Ukraine. Ukraine said trilateral talks involving Ukraine, the United States and Russia were being prepared in Abu Dhabi, potentially on November 10, but no exact date had been confirmed by the Ukrainian presidential office.
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Witkoff brings Oslo proposals to Putin in St. Petersburg; Russia signals readiness for new trilateral talks in mid-November
US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders in Oslo on October 20, then traveled to St. Petersburg for a roughly three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 21. After the talks, Witkoff said Moscow was prepared to resume trilateral US-Russia-Ukraine negotiations in the second ten days of November. The St. Petersburg meeting opened with the announced release of American Stephen Hubbard, held in Russia for over four years.
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Oslo talks bring Zelensky, Witkoff and European partners together on security guarantees for Ukraine
On 20 October 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo, alongside Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, with Jared Kushner joining remotely. The talks covered security guarantees for Ukraine, territorial questions, sanctions, post-war reconstruction and the European security order, and produced a document of guarantee options that Witkoff is to take to Moscow.
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Putin proposes Trump–Xi summit on Ukraine without Zelensky, Rubio confirms talks
The Wall Street Journal reported that Vladimir Putin proposed a trilateral summit with US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC meeting in Shenzhen on 18–19 November to end the war in Ukraine on terms favourable to Moscow. The proposed format would not include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the sides are discussing the idea but said no agenda exists yet; US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the talks on 19 October in Samarkand, saying Trump has not agreed but wants the war to end.
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European leaders brace for Trump siding with Moscow as energy sanctions are rolled back
European leaders gathering at an EU summit in Brussels this week are bracing for a scenario in which US President Donald Trump effectively sides with Moscow after a week of steps that rolled back years of US energy sanctions on Russia, pressured Kyiv to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries, and publicly questioned the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told reporters in Brussels that "the Western alliance is now in a weaker position than it was a few days ago," and several EU leaders privately said Trump is inclined to attack Kyiv and back Moscow, and is unlikely to change. Zelenskyy has said he feels betrayed and publicly criticised Trump. Despite the friction, the US continues to sell weapons and share intelligence with Ukraine.
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Trump announces Russia diesel deal after Putin call; Ukraine and European leaders condemn move
On 9 October 2026, US President Donald Trump announced he had spoken by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin and agreed to lift US sanctions on Russian diesel, allowing large-scale exports to American and global markets. The US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control issued General License No. 135 authorising the imports until 7 April 2027. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sharply criticised the decision, calling it a "weak" and "unfair and dishonest" birthday gift to Putin that gives Russia additional billions for the war, while EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, the UK, Germany, France, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, and US Democrats all condemned or distanced themselves from the deal. Talks between Ukrainian, US and European delegations in Miami ended early after the announcement, and a senior Ukrainian official told the Financial Times that long-range drone strikes on Russian refineries would continue.
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Zelensky declares Ukraine ready for energy, grain and maritime ceasefires as Russia rejects energy proposal
On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on 22 September 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met US President Donald Trump and announced Ukraine is ready for reciprocal ceasefires in energy, grain and maritime domains. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on 23 September that both sides expressed interest in a limited ceasefire, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the energy proposal and Russia's Vladimir Putin again insisted on maximalist war aims. The prospect of a trilateral meeting was left to the G20 summit in Miami on 14–15 December, where Putin's participation remains disputed.