Beijing has confirmed that it is discussing a historic meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping, the US president, Donald Trump, and Russia’s Vladimir Putin . Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, said at a press briefing this week in Beijing that China “is in communication with relevant parties regarding a meeting between the three heads of state”, which could take place on the sidelines of the Apec summit in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen this month.

Russia would probably use the summit to nudge China and the US closer to Moscow’s positions on Ukraine , said Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center.…