Trump, Putin and Xi Trilateral Summit at APEC Discussed as Kremlin Expects Deal in Days

Officials from the United States, Russia and China are in serious discussions about arranging the first-ever three-way summit between Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China, scheduled for November 18-19. The Financial Times first reported the talks, and the Kremlin subsequently confirmed that preparations are underway, expressing hope that plans can be finalized in the coming days.

Several sticking points remain unresolved. China has not yet formally agreed to host the meeting, and the proposed agenda is a significant obstacle: Trump wants to center discussions on nuclear arms control, while Beijing has resisted such talks. Russia, for its part, does not expect substantive discussions on Ukraine to take place. No trilateral meeting has been formally confirmed as of the reporting window.

The prospective summit would mark a historic first, bringing together the leaders of the world's three largest nuclear powers at a moment of heightened geopolitical tension. The Kremlin's public confirmation that work on arrangements is advancing signals Moscow's strong interest in seeing the meeting proceed, even as the agenda and Chinese consent remain open questions.