Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could sit down for a rare trilateral meeting during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November, according to a senior Kremlin aide.
Yuri Ushakov, an adviser to Putin, confirmed on Tuesday that the possibility of bringing the three leaders together had been discussed. Asked about the prospect during an interview with Russian state television, Ushakov replied that the issue had indeed been raised.
He said Putin, Trump and Xi were all expected to attend the upcoming APEC leaders’ summit, creating a potential opportunity for the three powers to hold talks. “And if it turns out as has been said, then the three of them will be able to have a meeting,” Ushakov said.
The comments came from Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, where Putin and Xi were attending a gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. The two leaders’ meeting comes as Moscow and Beijing continue to maintain close ties amid wider geopolitical tensions involving Washington.
Russia, China and the United States are among the 21 economies that make up APEC. China is scheduled to host this year’s leaders’ summit in Shenzhen on November 18 and 19, putting the possibility of a Putin-Trump-Xi meeting firmly on the international agenda.
However, Washington has yet to confirm whether Trump will attend the summit. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said on Tuesday that there were currently no announcements regarding the US president’s participation at APEC.
If the three leaders do meet, the talks would bring together the heads of three of the world’s most influential powers at a time when relations between Washington, Moscow and Beijing remain closely watched globally.
