Kathmandu [Nepal], November 9 – US President Donald Trump said Sunday he expects to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Shenzhen during the APEC summit on November 18-19.
Trump said they could discuss nuclear disarmament and efforts to end the war in Iran. “I think there will be a meeting with President Putin and President Xi,” he told reporters.
The Kremlin acknowledged on October 21 that preparations for a trilateral meeting were under way. The Wall Street Journal reported that Putin wanted talks to secure a Ukraine peace deal on terms favourable to Moscow. Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Analysts say the meeting could be historic but may yield few concrete results because the countries have conflicting interests. Sun Yun, director of the China programme at the Stimson Center, said the format and agenda remained unclear, adding that Beijing wanted the diplomatic image without bearing the costs.
Danny Russel, a former senior US State Department official said Putin stood to benefit most, as appearing alongside Trump and Xi would be a diplomatic success for Moscow.
Craig Singleton of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said the meeting could give Putin a photo opportunity, though its diplomatic impact might be limited.
