Kremlin Confirms Putin-Trump Discussion On Potential Meeting With Xi Jinping

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump discussed the possibility of holding a trilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during an upcoming summit in November, the Kremlin announced on Wednesday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the idea was discussed during a phone conversation between Putin and Trump on Tuesday, as the three countries continue to navigate major geopolitical and economic issues.

The proposed meeting could take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, scheduled in Shenzhen, China, from November 18 to 19. Russia has indicated that Putin will attend the summit, while the White House has not yet confirmed whether Trump will participate. Asked whether the two leaders had discussed a potential trilateral meeting with Xi in Shenzhen, Peskov confirmed that the possibility had been raised.

Peskov noted that the prospect of such a meeting had been discussed previously and that the upcoming summit would provide an opportunity for the three leaders to meet. A meeting involving Putin, Trump and Xi would bring together the leaders of Russia, the United States and China, three major powers whose relations have significant implications for international diplomacy, security and the global economy.

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APEC is an intergovernmental economic forum that dates back to the 1980s and brings together economies from across the Asia-Pacific region. Russia, China and the United States are among its members, making the annual leaders’ summit an important platform for discussions on trade, investment and regional economic cooperation. A trilateral meeting on its sidelines could therefore provide an opportunity for discussions beyond the forum’s core economic agenda.

The potential meeting comes against the backdrop of Washington’s continued efforts to push Moscow towards an end to the war in Ukraine. US envoys visited Moscow and Kyiv the previous week as part of diplomatic efforts, but no major breakthrough was announced. At the same time, relations between Moscow and Beijing have continued to deepen, adding significance to any potential discussion involving the Russian, US and Chinese leaders.

Whether the proposed trilateral meeting will take place will depend on the participation of Trump and the final arrangements for the November summit. For now, the Kremlin has confirmed that the possibility was discussed by Putin and Trump during their phone call. If held, a meeting with Xi could bring the three leaders together at a time of significant diplomatic tensions involving the Ukraine conflict, US-Russia relations and the increasingly close ties between Russia and China.

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