The London Times reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping would like US President Donald Trump to visit China in early September, coinciding with the celebrations in Beijing for the anniversary of victory in World War II. Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend the event as well. There are intentions to organize a trilateral summit involving the leaders of China, Russia, and the United States.
This is not the first attempt at such a meeting: Trump was previously invited to the parade in Moscow on May 9, where the main guest was Xi Jinping, but Trump declined. After Trump’s election, there were discussions about the possibility of shaping a new world order together with Russia and China. However, Trump has not agreed to previous proposals.
The potential summit in Beijing is complicated by a looming US deadline: by late September, Russia must either end the war against Ukraine or at least announce a ceasefire, or face new US sanctions, including against nations buying Russian oil. China is the main purchaser of such oil.
It seems unlikely that Trump would travel to Beijing at a time of escalating sanctions and deepening economic friction between the US and China. The situation could change only if Russia makes significant concessions and there is a breakthrough in US-China economic relations.
Chinese and Russian leaders would prefer to present Trump as the junior partner at such a summit, but Trump is determined to be seen as the victor, not a loser in the geopolitical sphere. At this point, the prospects for the summit are remote.
China has already stated it will not allow Russia to be defeated and continues to buy Russian oil, which helps Moscow sustain the war. Even the full implementation of tariffs is unlikely to end China’s support for Russia, including assistance with military production.
In the coming weeks, the US will try to convince Beijing to pressure Moscow into ending the war, aligning with China's own economic interests. However, a breakthrough is unlikely, and the final decision about such a summit remains unclear even for Donald Trump himself.
