President Donald Trump said on Sunday, November 8, 2026, that he thinks he will sit down with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in a rare three-way leaders' meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China, next week. Speaking to reporters in Florida before flying back to Washington, Trump said the three leaders would discuss denuclearization and efforts to end the war in Iran. If it happens, it would likely be the first formal meeting of the three leaders together.

Key Points

• Trump said on Sunday, November 8, 2026, that he thinks he will meet Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin in a trilateral meeting at the APEC summit in Shenzhen on November 18-19, 2026.
• The agenda would include denuclearization, Trump said, along with efforts to end the war in Iran.
• China's Foreign Ministry said on Monday, November 9, that Beijing was "in communication with relevant parties" over the meeting, without confirming it.
• The Kremlin said on October 21 that a first-of-its-kind trilateral meeting was "being prepared".
• Trump will also meet Xi bilaterally, their third meeting this year.

What Happened

Trump made the remarks to reporters in Florida on Sunday before boarding his flight back to Washington. Asked about the APEC summit, he said: "One of the meetings, I think, will be with President Putin and President Xi, and that'll be interesting. We're talking a lot of things, including denuclearization, but we'll be talking a lot of things. We're trying to end the war in Iran."

The comments were the clearest signal yet from Trump himself that the three-way meeting could actually take place. Until now, the idea had been discussed mainly in diplomatic circles and press reports, with no leader publicly saying it was likely. His wording was careful — "I think" — rather than a firm announcement, but it moved the meeting from speculation to a real prospect.

Background: How the Trilateral Idea Took Shape

The idea has been building for weeks. In October, Trump said he was open to three-way arms control talks focused on denuclearization, and the Wall Street Journal later reported that Putin had pitched using a trilateral meeting to discuss ending Russia's war in Ukraine. The Kremlin said on October 21 that a first-of-its-kind trilateral meeting was "being prepared".

Trump and Xi have already met twice this year: Trump visited Beijing in May, and Xi travelled to Washington in September. A bilateral meeting between the two in Shenzhen would be their third encounter of 2026, and it is expected to go ahead whether or not Putin joins them. China's response on Monday was deliberately measured: spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Beijing was "in communication with relevant parties" — phrasing that neither confirms nor denies.

Trump Xi Putin Trilateral Meeting: What Is on the Table

Denuclearization is the item Trump named first, and it is the one with the clearest logic for a three-way format. The United States, Russia and China hold the world's largest nuclear arsenals, and any serious arms control discussion needs all three at the table.

The war in Iran is the other issue Trump named. The US-Iran war is now in its ninth month, having begun on February 28, 2026, and Trump has repeatedly said he wants a negotiated end to it. Vice President JD Vance said on November 2 that Washington had made "progress" in talks with Iran and that the United States had set no deadline for a deal before strikes might resume.

Ukraine is also likely to feature, even though Trump did not name it on Sunday. The Wall Street Journal reported that Putin pitched the trilateral format as a way to discuss ending Russia's war in Ukraine, and US-brokered trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States resume in Abu Dhabi on November 10-11, just days before APEC.

Reactions and Quotes

Trump's own words set the tone. "One of the meetings, I think, will be with President Putin and President Xi, and that'll be interesting," he said. "We're talking a lot of things, including denuclearization, but we'll be talking a lot of things. We're trying to end the war in Iran." Beijing stayed noncommittal, and the Kremlin had already said on October 21 that a first-of-its-kind trilateral meeting was "being prepared".

Not everyone is enthusiastic. When the idea was first floated in October, Ukraine's foreign minister warned that a US-Russia-China meeting excluding Kyiv could encourage Putin to keep fighting, and insisted that a ceasefire should come first. Kyiv will be watching closely for any sign that its interests are being traded away.

Why It Matters

It matters because the three leaders have never met together in this format. The United States, China and Russia are the three powers whose decisions shape almost every major conflict and arms race in the world, and they have spent much of the past decade talking past each other. A single room and a single conversation would be a break from that pattern.

It also matters for the two wars Trump named. The Iran war has dragged on for nine months, and the Ukraine war is in its fifth year. Trump has presented himself as the leader who can end both, and a trilateral meeting is his most ambitious attempt yet to prove it. If it produces even a framework for talks, it would be a significant diplomatic moment.

What Happens Next

The next milestone is the Abu Dhabi talks on November 10-11, where Ukrainian, Russian and American officials will try to narrow the gaps on Ukraine. Their outcome will set the tone for Shenzhen. Then, in the days before APEC opens on November 18, expect confirmation — or silence — from Beijing and Moscow about whether the trilateral session will go ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

When would the Trump Xi Putin trilateral meeting take place?
On the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China, on November 18-19, 2026, if it goes ahead. Trump said on November 8 that he thinks the meeting will happen.

What would the three leaders discuss?
Trump named denuclearization first, along with efforts to end the war in Iran. Ukraine is also likely to feature.

Has the meeting been confirmed by China and Russia?
Not yet. China said on November 9 it was "in communication with relevant parties", and the Kremlin said on October 21 that a trilateral meeting was "being prepared". Neither has formally confirmed it.

Has such a meeting happened before?
No. If it happens, it would likely be the first formal meeting of the three leaders together in one room.

Will Trump also meet Xi separately?
Yes, their third meeting this year.

Read more: Trump Xi Nuclear Meeting Planned as Trump Seeks Disarmament Talks With China | Trump Turns to China to End Iran War as Bessent Asks Beijing to Press Tehran | Russia Pounds Ukraine Power Grid Before Abu Dhabi Talks as 600,000 Lose Power