The Kremlin announced on Wednesday that China has initiated preparations for a potential meeting between Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, and Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit, scheduled for November 18 and 19, 2026, in Shenzhen.
Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin's international policy advisor, revealed the plans, stating that the Chinese hosts are "already making arrangements" for the possible meeting. He added that it could be added to the official agenda "if circumstances allow."
However, the meeting is far from confirmed. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning mentioned on Tuesday that she had no information regarding a potential trilateral summit. Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted on the same day that there were no specific proposals, agreements, or agendas for such a summit.
Ushakov's announcement came hours after a meeting between U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin at the Constantine Palace in St. Petersburg, which lasted approximately three hours.
Following the meeting, Ushakov indicated that Putin tentatively agreed to resume trilateral negotiations involving Russia, the United States, and Ukraine around November 10. However, the Russian leader remarked that the Ukrainian and European proposals presented by Witkoff offered "few useful elements" for progress.
The concept of a three-way summit originated from a phone call between Putin and Trump on October 9, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
The proposed format excludes Ukraine, drawing immediate criticism from Kyiv. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga warned that such a meeting could bolster Putin's international legitimacy.
Trump expressed openness to the idea on Monday, framing it around nuclear arms control and denuclearization, alongside the Ukraine conflict. Secretary of State Marco Rubio supported the initiative, describing a potential discussion among the three nuclear powers on arms control as "very positive."
The meeting on Wednesday in St. Petersburg also covered other bilateral topics, such as potential Russian diesel supplies to the U.S. and the release of American citizen David Hubbard, illustrating the broad scope of the agenda between Moscow and Washington.
Trilateral talks involving Russia, the U.S., and Ukraine had been on hold since mid-February 2026, when Washington shifted its focus to a military operation against Iran.
In September, Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled to Moscow and Kyiv in an attempt to revive the process, achieving only a 72-hour air truce with no significant political breakthroughs.
The Kremlin had confirmed a bilateral meeting between Putin and Xi for the APEC summit since October 6, without initially mentioning any trilateral gathering with Trump.
The new development on Wednesday is Moscow's assertion that Beijing is actively working on possibly including this expanded format, though China has yet to publicly confirm it.
Key Questions About the Proposed Trilateral Meeting
What is the significance of the proposed meeting between Putin, Trump, and Xi?
The meeting could potentially address major global issues such as nuclear arms control, denuclearization, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, involving three of the world's most influential nations.
Why is Ukraine excluded from the proposed trilateral summit?
The proposed format focuses on discussions among the three major powers, potentially sidelining Ukraine, which has led to objections from Kyiv, fearing it could enhance Putin's international standing.