Kremlin Opens the Door to a Three-Way Meeting

The Kremlin said on Tuesday, Nov. 3, that work is under way to arrange a meeting of President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, "We hope it'll be finalized in the coming days."

Peskov called China "the main organizing force here as the host party." He also described a "general understanding among the participants" that such a meeting would be "worthwhile and extremely useful."

File photo: Luohu Port, a border crossing in Shenzhen, China, host city of the APEC leaders meeting.

Beijing and Moscow Strike Different Notes

China's foreign ministry said only that it is "in communication with relevant parties" about a meeting between the Chinese and Russian leaders. It did not mention Trump.

Beijing has not confirmed that Trump will meet the two leaders. Peskov said China, as host, is the main organizer.

What Each Side Appears to Want

Trump said on Monday, Oct. 19, that he is ready to meet Putin and Xi, "not so much for Ukraine," and framed the talks mainly around nuclear weapons. He added that it was "time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha opposed any three-way meeting without Kyiv. Also on Tuesday, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov was in Beijing for military talks.

The Calendar and Shenzhen's Preparations

The 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting runs Nov. 18-19. The APEC CEO Summit, which expects about 1,000 government and business representatives, takes place Nov. 17-18.

It is China's third time hosting the event, after Shanghai in 2001 and Beijing in 2014. As of Oct. 18, about 286,000 vehicles had been registered to stay off the roads, transit fares were half price and official vehicles were cut by roughly 90% outside security operations.

What Prediction Markets Say

On Polymarket, a prediction market where users bet real money on outcomes, a contract on whether Trump, Putin and Xi are "seen together" before 2027 trades at 88.5%, with about US$56,000 traded, as of Nov. 3, 2026, 6:23 p.m. ET.

These are bets, not polls. Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.

What It Means for US Readers

Trump has said he is ready to meet, and he has framed the idea mainly around nuclear weapons. Any meeting would bring together the leaders of three nuclear-armed powers.

What Is Not Known

It is not known whether the meeting will take place, and no hour or time zone has been given beyond Peskov's "coming days." Neither Washington nor Beijing has confirmed it.

Putin's formal attendance, an official participant list and the agenda have not been confirmed. We found no poll by a named institute on the meeting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Trump, Putin and Xi meet in Shenzhen?

Not confirmed. The Kremlin says work is under way and hopes to finalize it in the coming days, but China has not mentioned Trump and no date has been announced.

When is the APEC leaders' meeting?

The 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting is on Nov. 18-19, 2026, in Shenzhen. The CEO Summit is on Nov. 17-18.

What does Trump want from such a meeting?

Trump said on Oct. 19 that he is ready to meet Putin and Xi, framing it mainly around nuclear weapons rather than Ukraine. Ukraine objects to talks without Kyiv.

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief