Seoul watches possible summit between US, China and Russia
South Korea says a meeting between Trump, Xi and Putin at the APEC summit cannot be ruled out.
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South Korea is allowing for the possibility of a summit between the United States, China and Russia during next week’s APEC meeting in Shenzhen. The South Korean presidential office says that issues concerning the Korean Peninsula could also be discussed there, but that considerable uncertainty remains about the precise agenda.
The possible meeting came back into view after a telephone conversation on Wednesday between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. According to the US Department of State, they discussed leader-level talks on peace and nuclear disarmament, also with a possible summit involving Russia in mind.
The Chinese account of the conversation refers to relations between China and the United States and preparations for international meetings. It does not mention a possible trilateral summit with Russia or nuclear disarmament. China did describe the conversation as positive and constructive and said it wanted to strengthen communication and cooperation with Washington.
According to Reuters, US President Donald Trump is travelling to the APEC summit in China next week. Reuters reported that Rubio had earlier said preparations were under way for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Reuters, Trump himself said he wanted to discuss, among other things, ending the war in Iran and nuclear disarmament with Xi and Putin.
The South Korean presidential office said on Thursday that Seoul was closely monitoring the possibility of such a summit. According to a statement, the Korean Peninsula could be placed on the agenda, alongside issues such as arms control and the war in Ukraine. South Korea says it is maintaining contact with the countries involved so as not to be excluded from discussions about its own security environment.
At the same time, Seoul considers a meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during the forthcoming regional summits unlikely. The presidential office said that preparations and contacts with Washington were under way, but that there was no concrete indication of such a conversation. South Korea also stressed that it was not considering recognising North Korea as a nuclear-weapon state.
A trilateral summit is therefore not yet certain. Whether the meeting will go ahead and which issues will formally be placed on the agenda remain unclear. The talks could have consequences for Europe and the Netherlands if nuclear security, Ukraine and the balance of power between Washington, Beijing and Moscow are discussed. What decisions might result from them remains unclear.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- A possible meeting between the leaders of the United States, China and Russia during APEC has not been confirmed.
- Rubio and Wang spoke on 11 November about their bilateral relationship and possible leader-level talks.
- South Korea says it is monitoring the possible summit and that the Korean Peninsula could be discussed.
- The US and Chinese public accounts of the telephone conversation place different emphasis on different issues.
Left
Arguments A conversation between the three great powers can only be meaningful if its consequences for Ukraine, nuclear security and smaller countries are also taken seriously. Talks without those countries could instead weaken their interests.
Values The international legal order, inclusivity and protection of countries directly affected by conflicts.
Consequences A summit without Ukraine or representation from other countries involved could increase mistrust, even if diplomatic space emerges in the short term.
Centre
Arguments Direct contact between Washington, Beijing and Moscow could be useful for crisis management, but expectations should remain limited as long as there is no agenda or agreement.
Values Diplomatic stability, verifiable steps and the preservation of alliances and institutions.
Consequences A carefully prepared conversation could open channels of communication; a poorly prepared summit could produce little more than symbolism.
Right
Arguments The United States must prevent Russia and China from jointly setting the international agenda. Talks are defensible, but only from a position of American strength and with clear attention to security and deterrence.
Values National security, sovereignty and credible power.
Consequences A summit could increase American influence if Washington imposes agreements, but could damage that influence if adversaries use the conversation for propaganda.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s central points have been confirmed by Reuters, the South Korean presidential office and the Chinese statement on the telephone conversation. It remains uncertain whether the summit will actually take place and which issues will formally be placed on the agenda.
- confirmed South Korea is closely monitoring the possibility of a US-China-Russia summit during APEC. — This is stated in the South Korean presidential office’s statement. source
- confirmed Rubio and Wang discussed leader-level talks on peace and nuclear disarmament, including in the event of a possible summit with Russia. — Reuters quotes the US account of the telephone conversation. source
- confirmed The Chinese account does not mention a possible trilateral summit or nuclear disarmament. — The published Chinese statement does not mention these subjects. source
- confirmed Seoul considers a meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un around APEC unlikely. — This is stated in the South Korean presidential office’s statement. source
Editor's note
The possible summit has not been confirmed. The US and Chinese accounts of the telephone conversation differ in emphasis: Washington mentions leader-level talks on peace and nuclear disarmament, while Beijing does not mention those subjects.Sources
- US says China agreed importance of leader-level talks to advance denuclearization — Reuters via Investing.com
- Blue House says U.S. midterms do not affect OPCON talks; Cheonghae unit to avoid combat — ChosunBiz
- Wang Yi Has a Phone Call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio — Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs