Putin Invited to APEC Summit, Possible Meeting With Xi Jinping on the Table

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been invited to attend the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, according to remarks from Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, who also raised the possibility of a meeting between Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the gathering.

Ushakov suggested that Xi, as host of the summit, could take steps to organize a broader meeting involving the leaders of Russia, China and the United States, though he offered no further details on the format or timing of such talks.

A high-profile diplomatic gathering

APEC summits typically bring together leaders and senior officials from economies across the Asia-Pacific region to discuss trade, investment and economic cooperation, and have in past years served as a venue for high-level bilateral and multilateral talks on the sidelines of the main proceedings.

A potential meeting between Putin, Xi and a US counterpart would draw significant international attention given the current state of relations between Moscow and Washington, as well as the broader geopolitical dynamics shaped by the war in Ukraine and wider US-China tensions.

No confirmation yet

Ushakov's comments represent an early signal rather than a confirmed diplomatic engagement, and it remains unclear whether a trilateral meeting will ultimately take place or what topics such talks might cover. Kremlin officials have in the past floated the possibility of high-level contacts without them materializing in the stated format.

Should the meeting go ahead, it would mark a notable moment in the diplomatic calendar, offering a rare setting for direct engagement between the three powers outside of more formal bilateral summits.