As international anticipation builds for China’s upcoming World War II commemoration in September, the Kremlin has acknowledged the possibility of a high-profile meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. While no formal plans have been made, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed on July 21 that if Trump attends the events in Beijing, it would be “reasonable” to consider bilateral talks between the two leaders.

The Chinese capital is set to host a military parade and various commemorative events on September 3 to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. President Putin has already accepted Beijing’s invitation to attend. Speculation is mounting that Trump may also be invited, raising the potential for a high-stakes gathering that could include Chinese President Xi Jinping, in what some observers are calling a possible trilateral summit.

Although Chinese officials have not confirmed the guest list, reports from Japan’s Kyodo News claim that the Chinese government has decided to invite Trump. Meanwhile, The Times of London has suggested that Beijing is positioning itself to host a three-way summit involving Putin, Trump, and Xi. Such a development would be a major geopolitical event, particularly as China continues to project itself as a neutral force in international affairs-especially in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Speaking to the press, Peskov clarified that Moscow has not received confirmation of Trump’s participation in the Beijing events. However, he emphasized that if Trump does attend, “we cannot rule out that the question of the expediency of holding a meeting will be raised.”

Peskov also cautioned that any meeting between Putin and Trump would require thorough preparation. “Although a meeting between the two would definitely happen in the future, the time has not yet come,” he noted on July 20. His remarks highlight the Kremlin’s diplomatic balancing act-maintaining channels with Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee in the 2024 US presidential election, while projecting a message of strategic patience and seriousness to both Beijing and global observers.

The prospect of Trump attending the Beijing ceremony gained traction following a phone call in June between the US president and Xi Jinping. During that call, Trump reportedly said he had been invited to China, although no official date was confirmed. The call has since sparked speculation that Trump might use the anniversary event for his first major international appearance since leaving office in 2021.

Such a visit would be momentous, potentially altering diplomatic dynamics on several fronts: from US-China relations and the Ukraine war to Russia’s evolving role on the global stage.

According to reports, Putin and Trump have held multiple private phone conversations in recent months. While the content of these discussions remains undisclosed, sources indicate they have involved efforts to find a political resolution to the Ukraine conflict. Notably, Trump recently criticized Putin for resisting a settlement to the war. In response, the Kremlin said it had received the remarks “calmly” and reaffirmed its commitment to continued dialogue with Washington.

Trump’s criticism contrasts with his campaign rhetoric, in which he has repeatedly promised to end the war in Ukraine “within 24 hours” of returning to the White House-statements that have drawn skepticism from NATO officials and political analysts, but are closely monitored in Moscow.

For China, the opportunity to host both Putin and Trump carries significant strategic weight. On one hand, such a summit would showcase Beijing’s growing influence as a global mediator and reinforce Xi Jinping’s vision of a multipolar world order, distinct from US-led Western dominance. On the other hand, the optics of hosting two figures often seen as adversarial to Western institutions could deepen China’s already strained relations with the Biden administration and the European Union.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called repeatedly for a “fair, lasting, and binding” peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine and has urged all parties to prioritize a ceasefire and political negotiation. Yet Beijing has stopped short of condemning Russia’s invasion and continues to engage in trade with Moscow, defying Western sanctions.

A summit featuring both Putin and Trump would further entrench China’s self-image as a neutral diplomatic platform. However, it could also reinforce perceptions-especially in Washington-that Beijing is aligning itself more closely with anti-Western powers.

The last face-to-face meeting between Putin and Trump occurred during the 2018 Helsinki Summit, which drew widespread criticism in the US due to Trump’s perceived leniency toward the Russian leader. Since then, the geopolitical landscape has shifted dramatically. Trump lost the 2020 election, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and China has become increasingly assertive in global affairs.

If a meeting takes place in Beijing this September, it would carry immense symbolic weight. It would represent not just a reunion of two controversial political figures, but also a visible challenge to the Western-led diplomatic framework currently dominating responses to the Ukraine war. Such a meeting could suggest the emergence of alternative diplomatic channels-less formal, but potentially more impactful.

While the Kremlin has been careful not to commit to a meeting, its willingness to entertain the idea underscores the unpredictable nature of global diplomacy in 2025. Should Trump attend the Beijing events, the world may witness a highly symbolic-if not concretely productive-encounter between three of the most consequential figures of the 21st century: Putin, Trump, and Xi.

For the Biden administration and US allies, the implications are clear. Even as Washington continues to lead the Western response to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, alternative power centers are working to reshape the global narrative. A Beijing meeting could send a powerful signal: that the international system is no longer unipolar-and that diplomacy may increasingly unfold on stages far from Western capitals.

In the end, the possibility of a Putin-Trump meeting in Beijing-still hypothetical-reflects more than mere political theater. It reveals the fluidity of global alliances, the shifting nature of diplomacy, and the deep uncertainty surrounding the future of US foreign policy. Whether symbolic or strategic, such a moment would be watched closely around the world.

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Source: Weekly Blitz :: Writings