American, Chinese and Russian officials are discussing a possible meeting between Donald Trump, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin at the Apec summit in Shenzhen. It would be the first trilateral meeting between the three leaders. People familiar with the situation cautioned that China has not yet decided whether to proceed.
Officials from the US, China and Russia are discussing a summit between Trump, Xi and Putin on the sidelines of the Apec summit in Shenzhen later this month. People familiar with the situation in Washington, Beijing and Moscow said the talks were serious and aimed at the first trilateral meeting between the heads of state.
According to Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesperson, speaking to the FT: "Work is under way on organising such a meeting".
China has not committed
China's foreign ministry said it was in communication with relevant parties about a meeting between the Chinese and Russian heads of state, but it did not mention Trump. People familiar with the situation cautioned that China, which would convene the meeting as host of Apec, had not yet decided whether to proceed.
It also remains unclear whether the three sides are talking together or whether Beijing is holding separate bilateral talks with Washington and Moscow. One person familiar with the talks said Washington and Moscow were pressing China to agree.
Agenda is the sticking point
Setting an acceptable agenda is one challenge. Germany's President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Xi told him there were no plans for a trilateral meeting on the war in Ukraine, adding that Europeans should be at the table.
Trump has said he is open to a trilateral meeting in Shenzhen but has stressed the need to focus on nuclear arms control. However, Beijing has repeatedly shown no interest in such talks with Washington, given that the US has many more nuclear weapons than China.
A person familiar with Russia's thinking said Moscow did not expect substantive talks on Ukraine at the mooted summit.
Trump will travel to Shenzhen in two weeks and hold his third meeting this year with Xi. He will first fly to Manila for the annual meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Source: Financial Times
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