China's Xi not interested in hosting Ukraine summit, Steinmeier says

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Chinese President Xi Jinping showed no interest in hosting a three-way summit on Ukraine with Russia and the United States, according to an interview with German television reported on November 1, 2026. Steinmeier was recounting his talks with Xi in Beijing on October 30.

Steinmeier said Xi was surprised by the proposal and noted that European officials should be involved in resolving the war, as it is taking place on the European continent.

While U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Xi may meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Shenzhen in mid-November, Steinmeier's comments cast doubt on whether Ukraine would be on the agenda. Trump has expressed readiness to meet his Russian and Chinese counterparts in November, specifically to discuss arms control and denuclearization.

The Wall Street Journal reported, citing its sources, that Putin wanted to use the meeting to secure a peace deal in Ukraine favorable to Moscow, capitalizing on warming U.S.-Russia ties. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed on November 2 that preparations for a meeting between Putin and Xi at the APEC summit are underway, but said there are no details regarding a possible three-way summit with Trump.

Kyiv has criticized the idea of a peace summit in China without Ukraine at the table, urging a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump and Putin instead. While claiming neutrality in the war, China has been a key economic lifeline for Russia during the full-scale war and the leading source of dual-use goods fueling the Russian defense industry.