MOSCOW, July 31. /TASS/. A trilateral meeting between the leaders of Russia, China, and the US could take place at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit; Ukraine is trying to curry favor with Poland after the scandal around the glorification of Ukrainian nationalists; and the Pentagon strikes its largest-ever deal for Patriot missiles, worth nearly $60 billion. These stories topped Friday's headlines in Russia.
Izvestia: APEC summit could see trilateral meeting beween Putin, Xi, and Trump
A trilateral meeting between the leaders of Russia, China, and the US could take place at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. This possibility has stirred the global imagination, as all three leaders are expected to be in Shenzhen in November. It would be an ideal opportunity to discuss strategic stability, given that the world’s largest nuclear arsenals are no longer constrained by any treaty. However, experts consider a new agreement unlikely. In addition, the leaders could discuss ways to resolve conflicts in Iran and Ukraine.
"It is still too early to discuss specific meetings. However, in my opinion, such a trilateral meeting would be very useful. In practical terms, it is entirely feasible, since the three leaders of the major powers are expected to attend the summit," Russian Foreign Ministry’s Ambassador-at-Large Marat Berdyev, who is now the country’s senior official at APEC, told Izvestia.
According to Vasily Klimov, a research fellow at the Center for International Security under the Russian Academy of Sciences’ World Economy and International Relations Institute, the leaders could broach the topic of nuclear arms control. However, no one should expect Russia, China, and the US to reach an agreement at the summit, especially since this issue is not on the agenda. The expert noted that the US has been pushing for China’s inclusion in nuclear arms control for eight years. Therefore, a face-to-face meeting of the three leaders in China is unlikely to result in an immediate treaty signing, but it could launch expert-level negotiations on creating a multilateral system of mutual notifications and confidence-building measures. Issues related to nuclear nonproliferation may also be discussed in China in light of the situation around North Korea, Valdai expert Andrey Kortunov noted.
The conflict in Ukraine will also probably come up. However, according to political analyst Bogdan Bezpalko, a member of the Russian Presidential Council for Interethnic Relations, it is currently of secondary importance to both China and the US. Therefore, it is unlikely to be discussed as a key issue in Russian-Chinese-American relations. The expert doesn't expect that agreements on Ukraine will be reached at such a meeting. He believes the focus will be on global issues specifically.
Meanwhile, Kortunov stressed that if a trilateral meeting between Russia, the US, and China takes place, the Middle East crisis may be raised during the talks: not only in the context of Iran, but also in light of the situation in the Red Sea and Israel’s operation in Lebanon. Coordinating the three countries' positions is crucial for adopting joint resolutions in the UN Security Council. The expert also did not rule out discussions on energy and food security, as well as upcoming UN reforms in connection with Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ term expiring.
Izvestia: Kiev tries to distract Poland from Nazi glorification scandal with Russia threat narrative
Kiev is trying to get back on Warsaw's good side following the scandal over the glorification of Ukrainian nationalists. For that purpose, Vladimir Zelensky recently made a personal visit to the country while Ukraine was quick to blame Russia for the alleged missile that fell in Poland, although no evidence points to that being the case. The Ukrainian elite is still interested in provoking a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia. Nevertheless, experts believe that, despite Zelensky’s efforts, he is unlikely to succeed in easing tensions with Poland.
Ukraine wants NATO countries involved in a direct military confrontation with Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large for the crimes of the Kiev regime Rodion Miroshnik told Izvestia. He points out that Kiev has repeatedly tried to prevent peace agreements from being reached, particularly those involving the US. "Second, the Ukrainian elite believe that, by dragging as many NATO countries as possible into a direct confrontation with Russia, perhaps some of them might survive," the diplomat noted.
The glorification of Hitler collaborators has exacerbated existing tensions between Warsaw and Kiev. First, Poland and Ukraine have economic disputes related to the agricultural sector. Exports of cheap Ukrainian grain and agricultural products to the EU harm Polish farmers, regularly leading to strikes, border crossing blockades, and harsh protectionist measures on the part of Warsaw. Second, competition in the Polish labor market has risen sharply due to the arrival of millions of Ukrainian citizens. This has fueled growing discontent among local residents, who are weary of the long-term financial and social burden on the state budget. According to Polish political scientist Mateusz Piskorski, Bandera’s ideology could now serve as a convenient pretext for Ukrainian oppression in the country.
Experts interviewed by Izvestia believe that Zelensky is unlikely to succeed in reconciling disagreements with the Polish government on the topic of historical memory. Maciej Wisniowski, a journalist and editor-in-chief of the Strajk. eu news outlet, noted that Ukraine has made it clear it is not ready to actively condemn the Volyn massacre. Moreover, Poland will hold parliamentary elections in 2027, and given that Zelensky does not enjoy broad support there and many Poles view the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) negatively, leading political forces, particularly the Law and Justice party, will actively use the issue of preserving historical memory in the election campaign.
Vedomosti: What's behind huge Pentagon deal to produce Patriot missiles
The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin, America's largest weapons manufacturer, signed a seven-year contract to produce PAC-3 MSE interceptor missiles for the Patriot air and missile defense system. According to a press release on the company’s website, the contract's total value is estimated at $58.62 billion, making it the largest of its kind in the history of the US defense industry.
The Wall Street Journal noted that Lockheed Martin is expected to produce up to 2,000 missiles per year, up from 600. According to the Investing news outlet, Pentagon negotiators are trying to persuade contractors to accelerate production even in light of a potential reduction in shareholder payouts.
In February 2026, the Pentagon signed a similar deal with RTX, Raytheon's parent company. The goal of that deal, in particular, was to increase production of Tomahawk cruise missiles from 60 to 1,000 units per year, AMRAAM-class missiles to approximately 1,900 units, and SM6 missiles to 500 units. The deal consisted of five agreements, one for each class of missile.
According to ABC News, the Washington Examiner, and Bloomberg, Washington depleted up to 65% of its PAC-3 MSE stockpile during the Iranian military campaign launched by the US and Israel in late February 2026. In addition, since January 2023, the US has supplied Ukraine with Patriot air defense systems and their missiles in a move originally okayed by President Joe Biden, though exact figures have not been disclosed.
This new record-breaking contract shows just how depleted US missile stocks have become amid the conflicts in Ukraine and involving Iran, Igor Shkrobtak, a senior researcher in the Department of Military-Political Studies at the US and Canadian Studies Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Vedomosti. The expert emphasized that the scale of the order points to a potential increase in contractors, including those from countries with a US license to manufacture PAC-3 missiles. As of now, Japan is the only such country. Shkrobtak noted that the primary goal of this major new contract is to replenish US stockpiles. According to the analyst, the Americans will only redistribute them between the Ukrainian and Middle Eastern theaters of operations after that.
Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Armenia demanding that Russia pay for use of its railways
The conflict between Armenia and Russia continues to escalate. While the Armenian authorities have said they view this as an opportunity and not a threat, they warn that the continuation of the standoff could lead to the collapse of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). And now, Yerevan is considering charging Moscow $2 billion in rent for the South Caucasus Railway.
Relations between Armenia and Russia have deteriorated ahead of the country's parliamentary elections. The Armenian authorities then stated that the Russian side was helping the local opposition prepare a coup or rig the elections. In response, Moscow noted that Yerevan had passed a law last year orienting the country toward EU accession, which it declared incompatible with EAEU membership. Shortly thereafter, the Russian authorities began imposing restrictions on the supply and transit of Armenian food and beverages. At the EAEU summit, the leaders adopted a statement requiring Armenia to hold a referendum on European integration.
Political analyst Stanislav Pritchin believes it is too early to speak of any kind of crisis. "Pashinyan seemed to think he could play geopolitical games, easily change Armenia’s foreign policy orientation, and host events in his country where opponents of Russia would speak. This led to Russian restrictions. At the same time, Moscow expected that, after the elections, Yerevan would return to a constructive path and that, during a personal meeting with Putin, Pashinyan would outline his government’s long-term interests within the EAEU. However, the Armenian authorities continue to insist on their European aspirations. Of course, Russia won't stand for Armenia moving toward the EU at the EAEU's expense," the expert told Nezavisimaya Gazeta. At the same time, Pritchin noted that the situation around Armenia poses no threat to the EAEU, since Yerevan’s share in the organization’s economy is close to a statistical margin of error. If Armenia were to leave the organization, it would be the only party to suffer, the analyst stressed.
In turn, former Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Vache Gabrielyan pointed out that Russia is exerting targeted economic pressure on his country in an effort to force the Yerevan government to clarify its geopolitical orientation. "At the moment, the Russians want certainty, knowing we cannot introduce such uncertainty," the politician emphasized.
Kommersant: Demand for gold falls to its lowest level since 2021
The World Gold Council has reported that demand for gold is falling. In the second quarter of 2026, demand fell to 942 metric tons, which is the lowest level since the third quarter of 2021. The decline was driven by a decrease in demand from the jewelry industry and investors withdrawing from gold ETFs. However, on the whole, central banks in various countries continued to build up their gold reserves. Financial regulators in Turkey and Russia, meanwhile, seemed to buck this trend.
"The prolonged period of high US Federal Reserve System interest rates, the escalation in the Middle East, and rising geopolitical risks are prompting regulators to increase the share of neutral assets not tied to the obligations of any specific country," Ruslan Klyshko, director of the wealth management department at AF Capital Asset Management, told Kommersant.
Central banks in emerging markets have been the most active in increasing their holdings, particularly those of Poland (51 metric tons) and China (over 31 metric tons). Poland has been systematically increasing its gold reserves, raising their share of total reserves from 6.5% in 2020 to 30% this year. China is increasing its investments in the precious metal as part of efforts to reduce its dependence on dollar-denominated assets. Since 2022, the People’s Bank of China has reduced its holdings of US Treasuries by 37%, to $659 billion, while its gold holdings have risen by 20%, to nearly 2,345 metric tons. However, according to investment banker Ilya Sushkov, "gold is being purchased as part of a general policy of reserve diversification, not simply by selling bonds and buying the metal."
Meanwhile, the World Gold Council noted that the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey reduced its gold holdings by 81 metric tons over the past six months, including a reduction of four metric tons in the second quarter. In turn, the Bank of Russia sold 43.8 metric tons of gold over the past six months, 22 metric tons of which were sold in the second quarter. The Central Bank saw an equally significant reduction in its precious metal reserves in the first half of 2001 (more than 36 metric tons). However, a quarter of a century ago, this amounted to 9.4% of the total volume of gold in reserves. This year, gold reserves have declined by only 1.9%. "Absolutely all central banks have paused their purchases at various times. In certain years, the net change in gold holdings for many countries was negative. A similar situation is being observed in Russia," Finam analyst Nikolay Dudchenko stressed.
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