Diplomatic efforts underway for a potential trilateral summit in Shenzhen

Officials from the United States, China, and Russia are actively discussing a potential first-ever trilateral summit between Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, and Vladimir Putin. The meeting is being considered for the sidelines of the APEC summit, which will be held in Shenzhen, China, on November 18 and 19. If finalized, the event will take place in approximately two weeks.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that preparations for such a meeting are currently in progress. While the Chinese Foreign Ministry initially avoided direct confirmation regarding the U.S. president, spokesperson Mao Ning later stated that Beijing is in contact with all involved parties regarding a potential gathering of the three leaders. The White House has not yet issued an official comment on the reported consultations, though Donald Trump is confirmed to travel to Shenzhen for the APEC conference.

Discussions regarding this trilateral encounter have been ongoing for several weeks, with the Kremlin first mentioning preparations as early as October 21. The prospect of such a summit has raised concerns in Ukraine, where officials fear that potential agreements could negatively impact their position in the ongoing conflict with Russia.