Europe
Steinmeier: Xi Jinping shows no interest in a China–U.S.–Russia summit on Ukraine
The German president said that at Friday's meeting in Beijing, Xi stressed that there is “absolutely no preparation” for a summit on Ukraine and that Europeans must be part of any negotiations.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
November 1, 2026, 11:30 · Updated 19:04 · 1 min read
In brief
- Steinmeier raised the idea of a three-way summit on Ukraine during his meeting with Xi Jinping in Beijing.
- According to him, Xi called the war a European conflict whose negotiations Europeans themselves must take part in.
- A three-way meeting has been floated for the APEC summit in Shenzhen in mid-November.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in an interview with German television that China has shown no interest in a three-way summit with Russia and the United States on the war in Ukraine. According to DPA, cited by ATSH, he raised the issue on Friday in Beijing during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“No preparation at all”
The leaders of the three countries are expected to meet at the APEC summit in Shenzhen. But according to Steinmeier, Xi's response showed that Ukraine will not be part of those discussions. Relaying the Chinese leader's position, the German president said that from Beijing's point of view “there is absolutely no preparation for a summit on Ukraine.” Xi, he said, stressed that this is a European conflict and that Europeans themselves must take part in any negotiations.
ATSH reports no official reaction from Beijing beyond the account of Steinmeier, who, according to DPA, had himself proposed the idea of such a summit.
Putin's idea, Trump's interest
Reports have recently multiplied of a possible three-way meeting on the sidelines of the APEC conference in mid-November. The idea was first floated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, to discuss nuclear disarmament. U.S. President Donald Trump has been open to it and has said other issues, including the war in Ukraine, could also be discussed at such a meeting. For Europeans, who want a seat at the table of any deal on Ukraine, Xi's message that the conflict must be resolved with their participation carries particular weight.
