Russia says preparations are under way for a possible historic meeting between Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in China next month, although the summit’s final arrangements and agenda have yet to be confirmed.
The Kremlin has said preparations are under way for a potential three-way summit involving Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China.
Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday, October 21, that China was already preparing for the possible meeting. He added that the gathering could be included in the APEC programme if circumstances allow. The proposed summit would bring together the leaders of three major global powers at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions and continuing diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Although the Kremlin has described preparations as ongoing, the meeting has not been formally confirmed by all three governments. Questions also remain about the agenda, the format of the discussions and whether Ukraine’s future would be addressed directly.
China Preparing for a Possible Historic Summit
According to Ushakov, the possibility of a meeting between the Russian, American and Chinese leaders was discussed during Putin’s talks with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg.
The Kremlin said China, as the host of the APEC summit, was handling preparations for the international gathering. The proposed meeting could take place alongside the leaders’ summit scheduled for November 18–19 in Shenzhen.
If it proceeds, the gathering would represent an unusual diplomatic format, bringing together the leaders of Russia, the United States and China for a direct three-way discussion.
However, preparations do not necessarily mean that a final agreement has been reached. The Kremlin’s statement indicates that the possibility remains dependent on diplomatic coordination and the circumstances surrounding the summit.
Ukraine War Could Feature in the Discussions
The proposed meeting has attracted particular attention because of the continuing war between Russia and Ukraine.
Putin has maintained demands that include Russian control over the entire Donetsk region and opposition to Ukraine joining NATO. Kyiv, meanwhile, has insisted that any settlement must protect Ukraine’s sovereignty and provide credible security guarantees.
Trump has expressed interest in meeting Putin and Xi, saying the main focus could be nuclear disarmament while leaving open the possibility of discussing Ukraine.
The US president has also increased pressure on Kyiv to pursue a settlement, arguing that the conflict must end. Ukrainian officials have continued to seek international support and have called for Russia to face sustained pressure while its military operations continue.
Despite renewed diplomatic activity, the positions of Moscow and Kyiv remain significantly different, leaving substantial obstacles to a comprehensive peace agreement.
Ukraine Raises Concerns About Being Excluded
The possibility of a summit involving Putin, Trump and Xi without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has raised concerns in Kyiv.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has argued that a meeting between Russia, the United States and China could encourage Moscow to continue its military campaign if Ukraine is excluded from discussions about its own future.
Kyiv maintains that decisions concerning Ukrainian territory, security arrangements and the terms of a peace settlement cannot be made legitimately without Ukrainian participation.
The concern reflects a broader diplomatic question: whether negotiations involving major powers can help bring an end to the conflict if the country directly affected by the war is not represented.
The Kremlin has acknowledged that a lasting settlement would ultimately require Ukrainian involvement, even as discussions continue about possible formats for high-level meetings.
Trump and Putin Renew Diplomatic Contacts
The summit discussion comes as Washington and Moscow have renewed direct diplomatic engagement.
Putin met Witkoff in St Petersburg on October 21 for discussions that included the possibility of resuming US-mediated negotiations over the war in Ukraine. According to the Kremlin, talks could restart as early as November and might take place in Abu Dhabi.
The proposed negotiations would focus on security arrangements for Russia and Ukraine following the end of hostilities. However, Moscow has expressed dissatisfaction with some of the ideas presented by Ukrainian and European representatives.
The latest contacts follow a prolonged period of diplomatic uncertainty, with previous negotiations failing to produce a comprehensive agreement.
The renewed discussions indicate that diplomatic channels remain active, but they do not establish that either side is ready to abandon its principal demands.
Nuclear Disarmament and Global Security on the Agenda
Trump has indicated that nuclear disarmament could be the primary focus of a potential meeting with Putin and Xi.
The issue is significant because the United States, Russia and China occupy central positions in global nuclear security, although their arsenals, strategic priorities and approaches to arms control differ.
A discussion involving all three leaders could provide an opportunity to address strategic stability, the risk of military escalation and the future of international arms-control arrangements.
However, no detailed agenda for the proposed trilateral meeting has been publicly confirmed. It remains unclear whether nuclear weapons, the war in Ukraine, economic cooperation or other international disputes would dominate the discussions.
Any progress would depend on whether the governments could identify areas of agreement despite their competing security interests.
What the Proposed Summit Could Mean for Global Relations
A meeting involving Putin, Trump and Xi would carry diplomatic significance beyond the Ukraine conflict.
For Russia, participation could reinforce Moscow’s efforts to maintain its position as a major international power despite Western sanctions and its continued war against Ukraine.
For Washington, direct engagement with Moscow and Beijing could provide an opportunity to discuss nuclear security and other issues requiring cooperation among major powers.
China would host the gathering as part of the APEC summit, placing Beijing at the centre of an important diplomatic event. However, the proposed format could also create concerns among US allies and Ukraine’s European partners, particularly if discussions affect their security interests without their direct participation.
The extent of any practical outcome would depend on the final agenda, the positions taken by the three governments and whether the meeting produces agreements that can be implemented.
Conclusion
The Kremlin’s announcement that preparations are under way for a possible Putin-Trump-Xi summit has added a new dimension to international diplomacy ahead of next month’s APEC gathering in China.
The proposed meeting could provide an opportunity to discuss nuclear security, relations among the three powers and the ongoing war in Ukraine. However, the summit has not yet been fully confirmed, and its agenda remains uncertain.
Ukraine’s concerns about being excluded highlight the difficulties of negotiating an end to a war when the principal parties remain divided over territory and security guarantees.
For now, the Kremlin’s statement signals diplomatic activity rather than a breakthrough. Whether the three leaders meet, and whether their discussions produce meaningful results, will become clearer as preparations for the Shenzhen summit continue.