On November 8, U.S. President Trump stated that he expects to meet with Xi Jinping and Putin during the APEC leaders' meeting to be held in Shenzhen from November 18 to 19, with topics covering denuclearization and ending the war in Iran; the Chinese side stated it is communicating with relevant parties, and the trilateral formal talks have not yet been confirmed.
On October 25, Russian presidential aide Ushakov stated that preparations for a trilateral meeting between Xi Jinping, Trump, and Putin have begun, that all three countries are in principle ready to meet, that the Chinese side's attitude is "very serious," and that the meeting is planned to be held during the Shenzhen APEC summit on November 18-19.
President Trump, taking questions in the White House East Room, said that he had proposed to Putin the release of detained American citizen Hubbard, that Putin agreed to it, and that Hubbard was already on a flight back home.
According to the X account @clashreport, former US President Trump said in a recent statement that if Russian President Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping wish to hold a trilateral meeting in China, he is willing to participate. The remarks have sparked attention and discussion abroad about the direction of Trump's foreign policy should he return to office.
According to a video posted by the X account @clashreport, former U.S. President Trump spoke about Russian President Putin in a recent statement. Trump said that Putin is currently exercising restraint on the Iran issue, which is a positive signal for him, because the United States is imposing severe sanctions on Iran. Trump claimed that no Russian intervention in Iran has been observed so far.
On October 19, the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that Putin proposed a trilateral meeting with Trump and Xi Jinping next month to discuss ending the Russia-Ukraine war, and the proposed meeting would not include Ukrainian President Zelensky.
On October 19, Trump told reporters outside the White House that he was willing to hold a trilateral meeting with Xi Jinping and Putin, hoping to focus the discussion on nuclear weapons and denuclearization rather than mainly on Ukraine, and said that if President Xi wished to hold one, he would be glad to attend.
On October 19, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky bluntly called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "killer" in a public statement. Zelensky said that although such remarks might seem impolite and might not meet Trump's expectations of him, he would rather have an honest and transparent partner than someone who is a killer even while smiling. The remarks drew international attention.
According to a Bloomberg report, Ukrainian President Zelensky said in an interview that despite the good personal relationship between former U.S. President Trump and Putin, Trump is currently unable to force Putin to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Zelensky was responding to discussions about the possible impact Trump could have on the Russia-Ukraine situation if he were re-elected.
According to @clashreport, Russian President Putin proposed a Putin-Trump-Xi trilateral meeting in China next month to end the Ukraine war on Moscow's terms, and the proposed meeting format would exclude Ukraine and Europe. Former US President Trump has not yet accepted the invitation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly accused Russian President Putin of being an "aggressor" and a "terrorist," and accused Russian forces of killing civilians and children during the war. Zelensky also said he hopes former U.S. President Trump can clearly state a position on the matter and condemn Russia's aggressive actions.
Ukrainian President Zelensky stated in a public address that Putin currently feels a sense of victory in the war by circumventing sanctions, striking diesel trade deals, and making use of Starlink services. Zelensky stressed that these realities must be faced honestly, implying that Western sanctions against Russia and related technical support contain loopholes that have affected the balance of the war.
According to a tweet posted by @clashreport, former U.S. President Trump publicly stated that he very much hopes Russian President Putin will attend the G20 summit, though it remains unclear whether Putin will participate.
On October 16, 2026 Beijing time, Russian President Putin stated in public that in Russia, anything not explicitly prohibited by law is permitted. The remarks drew outside attention and were seen as his description of Russia's current legal environment and the logic of its social governance.
According to @clashreport, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered an address on the situation in Ukraine, claiming that Ukraine acted first and that Russia only began responding afterward. Putin said that the other side has now started complaining about strikes on the energy sector and other facilities such as data centers, and stressed: "They started all of this; they should never have begun it. Before taking that step, they should have thought about the consequences."