Putin Backs Idea of Trilateral Summit With Trump and Xi in China

Russian President Vladimir Putin has voiced support for the idea of a trilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, to be held on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in China, according to the Russian newspaper Kommersant.

Putin said he backed the concept of such a three-way gathering but stressed that the agenda for the talks would need to be worked out before any meeting takes place. He did not specify a date for when the discussions might occur, according to the report.

The proposal comes amid continued diplomatic engagement between Moscow, Washington and Beijing on a range of global issues, though Kommersant's report does not detail which specific topics Putin believes should be on the agenda for a potential trilateral meeting.

Diplomatic Context

APEC summits regularly bring together leaders from Pacific Rim economies and have historically served as venues for bilateral and multilateral talks outside the formal conference agenda. A meeting between the leaders of Russia, the United States and China would mark a notable moment of three-way engagement among major global powers.

Neither the White House nor Chinese officials have been cited in the Kommersant report as having confirmed or responded to the proposal. Further details on scheduling and participation are expected to emerge as the APEC summit approaches.