Key facts
- Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the possibility of a Putin-Xi-Trump trilateral meeting was discussed.
- The potential meeting is planned for the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China, on November 18-19, 2026.
- Putin has confirmed his intention to attend APEC.
- Trump has not publicly committed to attending the summit.
- Nikolai Patrushev arrived in China on Thursday for talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Nikolai Patrushev, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, arrived in China on Thursday for a visit that is being closely watched for signs of preparation for a possible trilateral summit with U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The meeting could take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ meeting scheduled for November 18–19, 2026, in Shenzhen, China.
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov stated on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, that the possibility of such a meeting was discussed during talks between Putin and Xi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Ushakov indicated that if plans align, a meeting between the three leaders could be arranged, or at a minimum, a broader gathering would be expected. This disclosure marks Moscow as the first to publicly float the idea, suggesting Russia's desire to be perceived as an equal player in global diplomacy.
The potential summit occurs against a complex geopolitical backdrop, including the aftermath of the US-Israel war on Iran and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Putin and Xi have previously used SCO summits to advocate for a multipolar world and present a united front against Western influence. A trilateral meeting involving the leaders of the US, Russia, and China would be historically significant, as no such encounter has occurred in the post-Cold War era. While Putin has confirmed his attendance at APEC, Trump has not yet publicly committed, making the realization of the meeting contingent on a U.S. presidential decision.