Trump, Xi and Putin Meeting in Shenzhen Remains Unconfirmed

A possible meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen remains unconfirmed, despite statements that preparations or discussions are under way. The APEC Economic Leaders Meeting is scheduled for November 18-19, 2026, in the southern Chinese city.

Trump said on November 8 that he expects to meet Xi and Putin in Shenzhen. He said possible topics could include nuclear arms control and ending the war in Iran. China’s foreign ministry said it was communicating with relevant parties, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on November 2 that work was under way to organise a meeting but offered no specific details. Putin’s attendance has not been officially confirmed.

If the three leaders meet, their competing priorities could limit the prospects for a substantive agreement. Russia has suggested focusing on Ukraine, Trump has raised nuclear weapons and Iran, and China has not publicly set out its position on those topics. Wang Wen, dean of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University in Beijing, said the parties’ differing...