President Donald Trump’s openness to an unprecedented trilateral summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, potentially on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen this November, raises questions far beyond the war in Ukraine.
The proposal reportedly originated in Moscow, with Putin seeking to capitalize on his improving relationship with Trump. The American president, however, has suggested that such a gathering should focus primarily on nuclear disarmament rather than Ukraine.
Yet the significance of such a summit would extend well beyond its immediate agenda. It would reflect a broader transformation in international relations: the growing temptation to replace established institutions, alliances, and multilateral frameworks with direct transactions among great powers.