Beijing — As diplomatic chatter intensifies ahead of China’s September commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Asia, speculation is mounting over a possible trilateral meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and US President Donald Trump in Beijing. Yet the Kremlin has poured cold water on those expectations, saying it has received “no information” regarding any such summit.
Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters this week that while President Putin has indeed accepted China’s formal invitation to the grand military parade in Tiananmen Square on September 3, there is “no coordination” underway for a meeting with Trump. “We know nothing about the possibility of such a meeting,” Peskov clarified, underlining Moscow’s surprise at international media reports suggesting such a high-profile encounter was imminent.
China’s intent, however, seems more strategic than ceremonial. According to sources cited by The Times, Beijing is exploring a dramatic diplomatic tableau by bringing together the three most consequential powers—Russia, China, and the United States, at a moment of deep global polarization. Chinese officials believe such a symbolic summit would echo the wartime alliance that defeated Japanese militarism and could portray China as a “stabilizing force” in the multipolar order.
The maneuver would also dovetail with President Xi’s broader campaign to position China as a diplomatic heavyweight. Over the past year, China has brokered regional ceasefires, hosted summits on global security frameworks, and deepened its bilateral ties with both Russia and the United States. Analysts suggest that a high-visibility gathering in Beijing could underscore Xi’s rising stature as a global statesman, especially as Washington’s credibility wanes under the turbulence of Trump’s foreign policy U-turns.
According to The Times, China’s overtures to Trump come amid improving US–China ties following mutual tariff reductions and tentative agreements on high-tech exports. This thaw has emboldened Beijing to extend a formal invite to Trump, hoping to replicate the dramatic optics of Nixon’s 1972 China visit—this time with the added contrast of American isolationism and Sino-Russian ascendance.
But even as China paints a portrait of harmony, the fissures are glaring. Trump’s campaign recently issued a 50-day ultimatum to Moscow, demanding it halt military operations in Ukraine or face sweeping secondary sanctions and punitive tariffs. While this move seemed aimed at restoring American dominance, it was swiftly dismissed by Moscow as electoral theatre. Russian officials scoffed at the ultimatum, insisting Trump is powerless to coerce a Kremlin that now leans heavily on Beijing’s economic and military lifelines, as reported by Business Insider.
Putin’s calculus remains bound to China. The Russian president’s strategic intimacy with Xi has deepened amid growing Western isolation. Chinese firms are now critical suppliers of dual-use technologies and defense components aiding Russia’s war campaign in Ukraine. This realignment has rendered Washington largely irrelevant in Kremlin corridors—making Trump’s proposed threats look more like campaign bluster than diplomatic leverage.
For its part, the Kremlin has sought to temper expectations while keeping doors ajar. The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that no bilateral discussions with Trump have been arranged on the sidelines of the Chinese event, reiterating Moscow’s interest in “constructive multilateralism” rather than showy photo-ops.
Meanwhile, Chinese officials remain tight-lipped. Foreign Ministry spokespeople have neither confirmed nor denied whether Trump will appear at the September 3 celebration. Still, diplomatic circles in Beijing suggest preparations are underway for a spectacle that might capture the global spotlight, even if one seat remains empty. As reported by TASS, President Putin has confirmed attendance, while the Chinese government has made no secret of its desire to choreograph a diplomatic pageant underscoring a new global order—one in which Washington may soon find itself watching from the sidelines.
