China has expressed reluctance to participate in a trilateral summit with the United States and Russia to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. During a meeting in Beijing on October 30, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the necessity of including European countries in any negotiations concerning the conflict.
Steinmeier, who proposed the idea of a Ukraine-focused summit, reported that Xi stated no preparations are being made for a meeting involving China, the United States, and Russia. Xi’s stance underscores the significance of having European nations, directly affected by the war, at the negotiation table.
The dialogue between Steinmeier and Xi comes in the context of suggestions for a potential meeting between Xi, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, scheduled for November 18–19. While Putin has proposed a trilateral meeting on nuclear disarmament, Trump is open to discussing broader issues, including the Ukraine conflict. However, China’s position indicates that any summit on the conflict may encounter hurdles without the involvement of European countries.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has consistently maintained that decisions concerning Ukraine’s future should not be made without Kyiv’s participation. This stance highlights the ongoing diplomatic challenges in resolving the war, especially regarding the roles of Ukraine and European nations in negotiations involving major global powers.