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Russian officials say a three-way meeting between Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping could take place during November’s APEC summit in Shenzhen, but Moscow says the substance and objectives of such talks must be defined before formal preparations begin.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Russia is leaving open the possibility of an unprecedented three-way meeting between Presidents Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping during November’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in China, while cautioning that substantial diplomatic work would be required before such talks could be arranged.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Sunday that Moscow has not rejected the idea of bringing the Russian, American and Chinese leaders together.
But he said the first question is not logistics. It is what the three presidents would actually discuss and what a meeting could realistically produce.
“Here, the main question boils down to how the substance of the meeting will be formulated, and what we can expect as a result.”
His remarks follow comments earlier this month from Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov, who raised the prospect of Putin, Trump and Xi meeting during the APEC summit in Shenzhen.
On Sunday, Ushakov again indicated that Moscow considers the idea worthwhile.
He said a meeting involving the leaders of Russia, the United States and China “would not be without merit,” while stressing that organizing such a gathering would ultimately fall to China as the summit host.
“If they are able to organize such a meeting – and this requires a certain amount of diplomatic preparation – then I think it could take place,” Ushakov said.
The comments suggest Moscow is receptive to a trilateral format but has not yet reached the stage of formal planning.
Ryabkov’s emphasis on the agenda indicates that Russian officials want clarity about the purpose of the meeting before committing to preparations.
A gathering involving the three leaders would bring together the presidents of three of the world’s most influential powers at a time of significant geopolitical tension and shifting diplomatic relationships.
For Moscow, the possible trilateral meeting would form part of a larger schedule of high-level discussions Putin is expected to pursue around the APEC summit.
The Kremlin is already preparing bilateral meetings for the Russian president.
A meeting with Xi is among those being planned, Ushakov said.
Russia would also seek a separate meeting between Putin and Trump “if the opportunity arises.”
That means the Kremlin is considering several possible diplomatic formats in Shenzhen rather than treating the potential three-way meeting as a substitute for direct talks between individual leaders.
A Putin-Xi bilateral meeting would continue the regular high-level engagement between Moscow and Beijing.
A separate Putin-Trump meeting would provide another opportunity for direct U.S.-Russian discussions at a time when Washington and Moscow have renewed diplomatic contacts over the war in Ukraine and broader bilateral issues.
The trilateral proposal would add a different dimension by placing all three leaders at the same table.
Ushakov made clear, however, that such a meeting could not simply be added to the summit schedule without preparation.
The Chinese hosts would have to organize it, and diplomats would need to determine whether there was sufficient substance to justify the gathering.
Ryabkov expressed the same concern from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
His comments suggest Moscow is evaluating the potential meeting according to what tangible issues the leaders could address and what outcome might follow.
For now, Russia has neither announced that a trilateral meeting will occur nor ruled one out.
Instead, Kremlin officials are signaling their willingness to participate if China can organize the talks and if diplomats can develop an agenda substantial enough to warrant bringing Putin, Trump and Xi together.
The immediate planning appears more advanced for Putin’s bilateral discussions.
The Kremlin intends to arrange meetings around the APEC gathering, including one with Xi, while keeping open the possibility of direct talks with Trump.
Whether those separate conversations are ultimately expanded into a three-leader meeting will depend on negotiations in the weeks ahead.
As Ushakov put it, the concept “would not be without merit.”
But Moscow’s message Sunday was equally clear that the significance of bringing the Russian, American and Chinese presidents together would depend less on the symbolism of the meeting than on what they were prepared to discuss and accomplish.
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