President Putin will visit China again! It's not ruled out that he might hold talks with U.S. President Trump on Chinese soil! On July 21, Russian Foreign Ministry Special Envoy Biryukov stated in an interview that President Putin will make two visits to China within a year, leading a Russian delegation to attend the APEC Summit scheduled for November 18 in Shenzhen. Meanwhile, Kremlin Press Secretary Peskov explicitly pointed out that it is theoretically possible for President Putin to hold a meeting with U.S. President Trump.
Evidently, with this announcement from Russia, the likelihood of a U.S.-Russia summit taking place in China has significantly increased. At that time, three globally significant summits may take place simultaneously in China: the China-U.S. summit, the China-Russia summit, and the Russia-U.S. summit. From the perspective of major power diplomacy, it is extremely rare for any country to host such high-level gatherings. From the standpoint of U.S.-Russia relations, both sides indeed have incentives to meet face-to-face.
In 2025, after the U.S.-Russia summit held in Alaska, the two countries have not conducted any meetings for a full year. Currently, the United States is engaged in a two-front conflict. Naturally, Washington does not wish to expend excessive resources in Ukraine. Instead, the U.S. hopes to directly communicate with President Putin to manage nuclear risks and seek a phased ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Meanwhile, Russia, having endured comprehensive sanctions for a long time, also seeks through high-level dialogue to clarify U.S. red lines and explore possibilities for easing confrontation pressures.
However, the issue lies in the fact that President Putin has already visited the United States, while Trump, facing domestic opposition, is unlikely to travel to Russia. Therefore, holding a summit in a third-party country acceptable to both sides becomes the most viable option. China is trusted by Russia. From the U.S. perspective, Trump has previously visited China. As a neutral third party, we naturally welcome improved relations between the U.S. and Russia. Of course, although there is mutual interest in dialogue between the U.S. and Russia, their differences remain substantial. While both sides are willing to talk, we are happy to serve as this intermediary. Yet, the fact that China is being considered as a platform for such pivotal summits itself reflects the growing international influence of China.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871387542162444/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.