Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Putin-Trump APEC Sideline Meeting Possible This November


(MENAFN) A face-to-face encounter between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump may be in the offing on the sidelines of the APEC summit in China this coming November, a senior Kremlin official has indicated — though he was careful to note that no formal meeting has yet been scheduled.

Putin, wrapping up a two-day state visit to China, informed Chinese President Xi Jinping that he intends to attend the APEC summit in Shenzhen on November 18–19. Trump, who also traveled to China last week, has separately signaled his own intention to participate.

"Our president has confirmed that he will come to the APEC summit," Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told reporters Wednesday. "I think that, in any case, if both leaders are in China, they will probably cross paths and hold some kind of meeting," he said.

Ushakov acknowledged that "so far this has not yet been agreed, but given that such a prospect exists, it is unlikely that anyone would refuse it."

Should it materialise, the Shenzhen encounter would mark the second in-person meeting between the two leaders, following their August 2025 summit in Alaska — the first direct Russian-American leadership meeting since the Ukraine conflict's escalation in 2022. That summit yielded no ceasefire agreement but was characterised by both governments as constructive.

Since reclaiming the White House, Trump has oscillated between publicly pressuring Putin over the absence of meaningful progress on Ukraine and emphasising the warmth of their personal rapport. The two leaders have spoken by phone on multiple occasions, addressing the Ukraine conflict as well as broader international flashpoints, including the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran.

Trump last week floated the possibility of visiting Russia, telling journalists he would "do whatever is necessary" to help broker a settlement to the Ukraine conflict, as Washington-backed direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv have hit an impasse. The Kremlin has confirmed that Putin stands ready to receive him.

Moscow has continued to insist that any durable peace agreement hinges on Kyiv relinquishing control of the remaining portions of the Donbass region still under Ukrainian authority.

MENAFN21052026000045017169ID1111150126



MENAFN

Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

Search