Shenzhen Summit: Beijing Confirms Talks for Xi, Trump, and Putin Meeting
Chinese officials say the three-way gathering is under discussion for the APEC summit, while Russia continues missile strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure.
By Talia Bennett ·
Beijing confirmed on Friday that it is negotiating a face-to-face meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping, US President Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, stated at a press conference in Beijing that China is in communication with relevant parties regarding the trilateral gathering. The meeting could occur on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, which is scheduled to take place in Shenzhen this month.
Experts suggest the timing serves Russian strategic interests. Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, argued that Russia would likely use the summit to align China and the US with Moscow’s positions on the war in Ukraine. However, Danny Russel, a distinguished fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute and former senior official in the Obama administration, noted that Trump has received advice to keep Ukraine out of the core agenda of the discussions.
The diplomatic maneuvering continues as Russia maintains pressure on the Ukrainian front. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned on Friday that the military was preparing for fresh attacks on critical infrastructure. He cited intelligence indicating that Russia was readying strikes on energy facilities, bridges across the Dnipro River, and civilian sites. In a nightly video address, Zelenskyy acknowledged that the air force and armed forces were preparing for defense, noting that the coming period would not be easy.
Russian forces carried out a missile attack on Kyiv early Saturday morning. Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, reported that the strike damaged a residential building. The city’s military administration reported that two people were injured and a building housing a kindergarten sustained damage. Officials maintained air raid alerts for residents for hours following the initial impact.
Zelenskyy has pressed Western partners to provide specific, written guarantees for postwar security. His remarks, given in an interview with 1+1 television late Thursday, followed two days of meetings in Brussels involving US, UK, French, German, and European Union officials. The discussions also included representatives from the World Bank and the investment group BlackRock. Zelenskyy emphasized the need for clarity on what happens if Russia resumes attacks, asking who would act, with what resources, and on what timeline.
Rustem Umerov, the Ukrainian lead negotiator, posted that the Brussels talks covered threats from Russia to both Ukraine and Europe. He described the group’s focus on joint steps to counter those threats. The summit discussions preceded three-way talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States scheduled for next week in Abu Dhabi. These will be the first trilateral peace discussions held since February.
The potential summit in Shenzhen marks a high-profile diplomatic moment for the three major powers. The APEC summit is scheduled for later this month in the southern Chinese city. Beijing’s confirmation of ongoing communications signals that the logistics for such a rare trilateral gathering are already being coordinated among the three capitals.
Ukrainian officials continue to coordinate defense efforts against the sustained campaign of attacks. The focus remains on protecting energy grids and transportation links that have been targeted in recent weeks. The outcome of the Abu Dhabi talks and the Shenzhen summit will determine the next phase of diplomatic engagement between the warring parties and their allies.
