Putin proposes a three-way summit with Trump and Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting

20 October 2026

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a summit next month with United States President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to negotiate an end to the Ukraine conflict, according to a Wall Street Journal report of 18 October 2026. The proposal was made during a telephone call with Trump on 9 October, and the Kremlin has suggested the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, set for 18 and 19 November in Shenzhen. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there is no clear understanding yet regarding the meeting itself or its potential agenda, while acknowledging that all three parties accept the hypothetical possibility. On 19 October Trump said he is open to three-way talks as soon as next month, saying he would hold them to discuss nuclear weapons and denuclearisation if Xi wanted them. China's foreign ministry said it is unrealistic to ask China to join trilateral nuclear disarmament talks at this stage, as its nuclear strength is not at the level of the United States and Russia.