APEC summit meeting: Trump, Xi, and Putin to hold talks in Shenzhen amid strained ties

Donald Trump, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin planned a rare three-way meeting on Thursday. The talks were set beside next week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen. The White House confirmed the plan on Friday. Analysts expected limited results, despite the high-profile setting and symbolism.

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The meeting came during strained ties among the three governments. Trump pursued warmer contacts with Xi after a truce in last year’s brief trade war. That shift occurred despite differences over the US war with Iran. Trump also tried to build links with Putin, despite Russia’s war with Ukraine.

Trump Xi Putin meeting and nuclear arms issue

Trump said the session could cover the US war with Iran and nuclear weapons limits. The last US-Russia nuclear arms deal expired in February. That ended caps on the two biggest nuclear stockpiles. The treaty, known as New START, had limited both sides for decades.

After New START ended, Trump rejected Russia’s request for a one-year extension. Trump called instead for a newer and modernised pact that includes China. Pentagon estimates put China’s arsenal at more than 600 warheads. The US and Russia each held more than 5,000 warheads.

China showed little interest in a nuclear deal, given the imbalance in stockpiles. Analysts said Beijing was least certain about the summit’s value. Still, hosting the meeting could help Xi project China’s influence. Edgard Kagan said: "I would be shocked if there were a joint statement that came out of this meeting that said anything about denuclearisation,\"

APEC Shenzhen summit and Trump Xi Putin symbolism

The trilateral gathering could dominate attention at APEC in Shenzhen. The summit brought 21 economies to the city. Shenzhen was described as an ultramodern coastal centre. It grew from a fishing village into a global technology and economic hub over decades.

Some analysts said the meeting could complicate China’s messaging at APEC. China often argued Western Cold War thinking helped lead to Russia’s war on Ukraine. China also criticised how the U.S. carried out its Iran war. Observers said a great-power photo could blur China’s multilateral message.

Hoo Tiang Boon, of Nanyang Technological University, said the meeting could weaken Beijing’s stance. China tried to present itself as backing free trade at APEC. Hoo Tiang Boon said: \"You sort of run counter to Chinese support of multilateralism,\"

Trump Xi Putin ties and Russia China Ukraine links

Putin and Xi built a steady personal relationship. They met more than 40 times since Xi became president in 2013. They addressed each other as dear friend. Trump met Putin face-to-face seven times. Their latest meeting was in Alaska in August 2025.

Xi and Trump held eight in-person meetings, including Xi’s September state visit to Washington. China became Moscow’s number one trading partner. That relationship grew after Russia sent troops into Ukraine in 2022. China increased purchases of Russian energy as Europe reduced links.

China also became Russia’s main supplier of key technologies. This included high-tech components used in Russian weapons industries. Beijing ignored Western demands to stop those supplies. Before the war, Xi and Putin declared a no-limits friendship. China said it stayed neutral while blaming Kyiv’s allies.

Moscow repeatedly backed Beijing’s policy on Taiwan-related issues. Trump recently agreed a diesel deal with Russia. The move waived sanctions and allowed sales of millions of tons. Trump blamed energy price rises on Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries. Analysts linked higher crude prices mostly to the Iran war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy worried the meeting could enable talks on Ukraine without Kyiv. Some compared the planning to the 1945 Yalta Conference. That event shaped post-war Europe and Germany’s occupation zones. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the comparison on enforcement grounds.

Peskov said: \"Its clear that a meeting between the leaders of countries such as Russia, China and the United States is extremely significant,\" Peskov said. \"However, lets not forget that the vision for a global order is that no one tries to impose any particular view of global order, and it should be based entirely on mutual benefit and mutual respect.\" The talks in Shenzhen were expected to be closely watched.

With inputs from PTI