18 Nov: Xi, Trump, and Putin May Meet

China is currently in active contact with the United States and Russia to organize a potential meeting between their three heads of state. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning confirmed these discussions during a press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday. She stated that the Chinese side is maintaining communication with relevant parties regarding the potential gathering.

The summit could take place during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference scheduled for 18 and 19 November in Shenzhen. Mao noted that China is holding relevant discussions with both Washington and Moscow. The three leaders, Xi Jinping, Donald Trump, and Vladimir Putin, have previously shown public interest in such a face-to-face interaction.

Background on the proposal dates to mid-October. On 19 October, The Wall Street Journal reported that Putin proposed a November meeting to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. President Trump subsequently confirmed his willingness to participate. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that discussions were already underway. On 21 October, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said China was working to organize the first trilateral meeting and would include it in the APEC program if conditions were favorable.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Beijing on 29 October. He urged Xi to use his influence over Moscow to end the conflict. On 1 November, Steinmeier stated that Xi expressed surprise at rumors of the summit. The Chinese leader denied that preparations were underway and described the war as a European conflict, arguing that European representatives should be at the negotiating table.

Recent reporting suggests the process has moved from rumor to reality. On 3 November, the Financial Times reported that officials from the three nations had held undisclosed talks for two weeks. According to that report, Washington and Moscow were pressuring Beijing to agree to host the meeting. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the preparations, though China's Foreign Ministry had previously commented only on contact regarding a bilateral meeting between Xi and Putin.

The next major step is the APEC summit itself in Shenzhen. Officials from the three countries are expected to continue their coordination leading up to the 18 November start date. The outcome of these talks will determine whether the three leaders convene during the event.