Photo courtesy of Anadolu
A rare three-way meeting involving the leaders of Russia, China and the United States could take shape at the APEC summit in Shenzhen this November, according to a Kremlin aide.
Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the possibility while meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek.
Ushakov said Xi pointed out that US President Donald Trump was expected to attend the APEC gathering, while Putin could also be present as an invited leader.
He added that if the schedules align, a meeting involving all three presidents could be arranged during the summit.
The 2026 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting is scheduled for Nov. 18 to 19 in Shenzhen, China.
A potential encounter would come at a time of strained relations among Washington, Moscow and Beijing, with the war in Ukraine and wider geopolitical tensions continuing to shape their ties.
Ushakov also said he was due to meet Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, archbishop of Bologna, later in September for discussions focused mainly on humanitarian issues linked to the Ukraine war.
He said political matters could also come up, although the Vatican’s engagement with Moscow has largely centered on humanitarian concerns.
The possible APEC meeting has not yet been formally confirmed, and Ushakov described it as something that could happen if arrangements proceed as expected.
