Putin aide Yuri Ushakov reported on October 25 that preparations had begun for a tripartite meeting between Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. Moscow, Beijing and Washington are in principle ready for talks on the sidelines of the APEC summit on November 18-19 in the Chinese city of Shenzhen. A separate meeting between Putin and Trump has not yet been agreed upon. At the same time, the renewal of talks between Russia-Americans-Ukrainians in November was discussed. Geopolitically significant A meeting involving all three leaders will bring together the United States, China and Russia at a time when several key issues are overlapping: the Ukraine war, nuclear arms control, sanctions, trade and the future of European security. Three prominent considerations. 1. Ukraine can be discussed without Kyiv at the table. This is one of the main concerns raised by Ukrainian officials. However, discussions between the three powers will not automatically constitute a negotiated settlement 2. China will have an unusually prominent diplomatic role. Hosting the meeting could give Beijing an opportunity to facilitate discussions between Washington and Moscow while advancing its strategic interests. 3. The separate negotiations in Ukraine may be a more immediate outcome. Ushakov noted that any initial Russia-US-Ukraine meeting would likely be an investigation rather than producing a comprehensive peace agreement.

Putin aide Yuri Ushakov reported on October 25 that preparations had begun for a tripartite meeting between Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. Moscow, Beijing and Washington are in principle ready for talks on the sidelines of the APEC summit on November 18-19 in the Chinese city of Shenzhen. A separate meeting between Putin and Trump has not yet been agreed upon. At the same time, the renewal of talks between Russia-Americans-Ukrainians in November was discussed. Geopolitically significant A meeting involving all three leaders will bring together the United States, China and Russia at a time when several key issues are overlapping: the Ukraine war, nuclear arms control, sanctions, trade and the future of European security. Three prominent considerations. 1. Ukraine can be discussed without Kyiv at the table. This is one of the main concerns raised by Ukrainian officials. However, discussions between the three powers will not automatically constitute a negotiated settlement 2. China will have an unusually prominent diplomatic role. Hosting the meeting could give Beijing an opportunity to facilitate discussions between Washington and Moscow while advancing its strategic interests. 3. The separate negotiations in Ukraine may be a more immediate outcome. Ushakov noted that any initial Russia-US-Ukraine meeting would likely be an investigation rather than producing a comprehensive peace agreement.