Russia, U.S. and China Discuss Possible Summit on Ukraine Conflict
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Washington is pressing Kyiv and its allies while offering concessions to Moscow, and the Kremlin has suggested a three-way summit with the United States and China that would exclude Ukraine and the EU.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has intensified diplomatic activity this autumn to revive stalled talks on ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Washington is increasing pressure on Kyiv and its European partners while offering Moscow concessions, such as a deal on Russian diesel exports to the United States and a temporary easing of some sanctions.
After a meeting in St. Petersburg on November 21 between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said it is ready to hold technical negotiations with Ukraine next month. Putin’s aide Yury Ushakov said the next round could be held in Abu Dhabi and would focus on “building the security system for Russia and Ukraine after the end of the war.”
Ushakov also reported that Putin discussed a possible trilateral summit with Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, noting that Beijing is already preparing for the meeting. Moscow has proposed a three-way gathering on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China, scheduled for November 18-19, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Kremlin hopes the summit would produce an agreement on ending the war that reflects Russian interests.
The proposed format would exclude Ukraine and the European Union. Analysts say the Kremlin wants a setting that treats Russia as an equal partner with the United States and China. Carnegie-Russia Eurasia Center researcher Temur Umarov told DW that Beijing would likely act as a symbolic participant rather than an active mediator, adding that “Beijing has no intention of taking responsibility for Ukraine's future.”
Umarov suggested China would seek vague, non-committal language in any joint statement to preserve flexibility in its own policy. By contrast, Mercator Institute for China Studies senior associate researcher Yurii Poita argued that Russia and China share strategic goals, such as reducing Western military presence in Europe and Asia and weakening NATO’s influence. He said a joint effort could pressure the United States to cut military aid to Ukraine, which would benefit both Moscow and Beijing.
Kennan Institute director Michael Kimmage expressed doubt that China will assume a more active diplomatic role, noting that Beijing may view the conflict as destabilising but prioritises the political survival of Vladimir Putin. Kimmage said Russia provides China with low-cost energy and a foreign-policy partner that rarely opposes Beijing’s interests.
Kyiv’s exclusion from the summit has been criticised by Ukrainian officials. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in Oslo on October 20 that any talks on Ukraine’s future must include a Ukrainian seat at the table.
Analysts differ on the implications of excluding Europe. Some see it as a sign that Beijing regards the EU as a weaker player, while others argue that European financial and defense support for Ukraine still gives the bloc significant leverage in any diplomatic outcome.