Preparations are in full swing for a historic summit between the US, China, and Russia, with the Kremlin confirming ongoing efforts to have Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, and Vladimir Putin sit at the same table on November 18–19, on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China. Specifically, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that work toward organizing the trilateral meeting has already commenced, while it is revealed that Putin had discussed this specific prospect with US Presidential Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. However, despite moves in Washington and Moscow, Beijing has not yet given the final green light, leaving open the possibility of a meeting that could acquire extraordinary significance in shaping global diplomatic balances. At the core of potential talks lie nuclear power, the war in Ukraine, and relations among the three major powers, as Europe monitors developments anxiously, given that issues directly impacting its security and future are at stake, altering superpower summit preparations.
Confirmation from the Kremlin
"Work on organizing such a meeting is underway," Dmitry Peskov told the Financial Times. However, when questioned regarding prospects for a trilateral summit, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that Beijing remains "in communication with relevant parties regarding a meeting between the leaders of China and Russia," avoiding any reference to a trilateral gathering involving Trump. Trump will travel to Shenzhen in two weeks to participate in the APEC summit and hold his third meeting this year with Xi. Prior to his visit to China, he will travel to Manila to attend the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Xi and Trump are expected to hold a fourth meeting in December, when the Chinese leader visits Miami for the G20 summit. Putin and Xi have met more than 40 times, according to Chinese state media, including at least three meetings during the current year, shaping APEC summit logistics.
It remains unclear whether the three sides are conducting joint discussions or whether Beijing is conducting separate bilateral consultations with Washington and Moscow. According to information reported by the FT, China—which will host the meeting within the framework of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum—has not yet decided whether to proceed with organizing it.
Pressures on China
A person familiar with the talks mentioned that Washington and Moscow are exerting pressure on China to agree to hold the meeting. The Chinese Foreign Ministry had stated last month that it "has no information to provide" regarding the prospect of a trilateral summit. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier stated on Sunday (1/11/2026) that Xi appeared caught off guard when asked about the possibility of a trilateral summit during their meeting in China last week. As reported, Xi asked him where those specific rumors originated, influencing trilateral summit diplomacy.
Agenda challenges
One of the key challenges for organizing a trilateral meeting is defining an agenda acceptable to all three leaders. Steinmeier stated that Xi mentioned there are no plans for a trilateral meeting concerning the war in Ukraine. Indeed, he added that the Chinese leader underscored that Europeans ought to be at the negotiation table, as it constitutes a conflict concerning Europe. A person familiar with the Russian approach mentioned that Moscow does not expect substantive talks on Ukraine within the framework of a potential summit. Russia considers that China does not wish to assume a leading role in shaping a solution to end Putin's nearly five-year invasion of Ukraine, preferring instead to claim credit only when a peace agreement approaches near completion, the same source noted, altering Ukraine peace agenda.
Trump has stated he remains open to the prospect of a trilateral meeting in Shenzhen, emphasizing nonetheless that focus should be placed on nuclear arms control. However, Beijing has repeatedly indicated it holds no interest in participating in arms control talks with Washington, given that the US possesses a far greater quantity of nuclear weapons than China. "Xi would likely view hosting a trilateral meeting as a major diplomatic achievement demonstrating his leadership role on the international stage," stated Dennis Wilder, former top White House adviser on Asian affairs during George W. Bush's presidency. "APEC itself has fairly limited objectives and is unlikely on its own to produce outcomes dominating news headlines," he added, outlining nuclear arms control.
Wilder mentioned that Trump desires to focus on arms control due to the "massive expansion" of the Chinese nuclear arsenal in recent years. However, he noted that Beijing has refused for decades to participate in relevant negotiations. "China has rejected arms control talks because its smaller nuclear arsenal was shrouded beneath a veil of extreme secrecy," he stated. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether the war in Iran will be included on the agenda in the event the three leaders meet in Shenzhen, impacting Shenzhen summit negotiations.
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