China is considering hosting a Trump-Putin-Xi summit in Shenzhen, but fears the implications for Ukraine and nuclear control

China is considering the possibility of hosting a meeting between Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit scheduled for the end of this month in Shenzhen. Beijing is already in discussions with Washington and Moscow, but it is unclear whether the meeting will take place.

Such a summit would strengthen China’s status as an indispensable global power, but would also create diplomatic risks. Beijing must avoid giving the impression that the major powers are deciding Ukraine’s fate without Kyiv’s participation, especially after Russia proposed the meeting.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned against a new “Yalta,” while German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier argued that Xi Jinping views the war in Ukraine as a European conflict and that Europeans must be present at the negotiations.

China would also have to manage Donald Trump’s pressure over nuclear arms control. Washington and Moscow no longer have a treaty in force in this area, while Beijing is rapidly expanding its arsenal, estimated at approximately 620 warheads. Chinese authorities, however, reject the idea of negotiations on disarmament, potentially accepting discussions on reducing risks and maintaining communication channels during crises.