Vladimir Putin Plans APEC Visit While Skipping G-20 Summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, on November 18-19. This visit will mark his first personal attendance at the event since 2017 and will see him join President Xi Jinping.

Putin is expected to skip the Group of 20 (G-20) summit in Florida to avoid potential confrontations with Western allies and the possible presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Despite the G-20 absence, Russian officials indicated that a trilateral meeting between the leaders of Russia, China, and the United States could occur on the sidelines of APEC, provided Donald Trump attends.

Diplomatic tensions remain high as Russian officials expressed disappointment with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, stating they expect no progress on a peace deal before the G-20. Meanwhile, Putin remains focused on military objectives, specifically aiming to seize full control of Ukraine's Donetsk region within the next six months.