Russia

Moscow, 19 October 2026. Russian media are treating the information from the Wall Street Journal through the response of Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov, published on Monday, 19 October. TASS and Sputnik quote the same phrase: "There is not yet a clear understanding of the meeting itself or its potential agenda, although the three parties recognize the hypothetical possibility of such a meeting." The tone is one of cautious observation, not announcement.

The Moscow Times, more detailed, reports that the Kremlin confirms that the subject "was indeed raised," since the three heads of state could meet in China. Peskov adds that "no specific proposal or agreement" has been put forward, either on the meeting or its content. The APEC summit is to be held in Shenzhen on 18 and 19 November, according to Sputnik.

The articles put the idea into an already old sequence. Vedomosti recalls that on 9 September, Peskov had indicated that Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump had discussed a three-way summit on the sidelines of APEC. On 1 October, before the Valdai club, Putin said he was in favor of such a meeting, while judging that it needs an agenda. TASS notes that he considers it useful to meet and exchange, and that the holding of it depends largely on the host country. Sputnik specifies that Peskov had earlier in October judged such a meeting "very beneficial".

The Ukrainian reaction appears only in The Moscow Times. Minister Andrii Sybiha writes there that a Russia-China-US meeting "would do the opposite" of a three-way meeting with Ukraine: "encourage Putin to continue this war". Peskov responds that a final settlement is impossible without "someone in Kiev willing to take responsibility", which amounts to admitting that Ukraine will have to be associated with it sooner or later.

The Chinese side is mentioned by Vedomosti: on 29 September, Beijing declared that it does not have information on such a meeting for the time being. The Moscow Times finally notes that the last Russian-Ukrainian talks mediated by the US date back to February, and that the two parties remain just as far apart on the conditions for an agreement.