A radio bearer configuration method, an apparatus, and a system. The method includes: determining that a first sidelink radio bearer and a second sidelink radio bearer that are used during communication between the second terminal and a first terminal are associated with each other; and sending a first message to the first terminal, where the first message includes first indication information, and the first indication information is used to indicate that the first sidelink radio bearer is associated with the second sidelink radio bearer, where the first sidelink radio bearer is used by the first terminal to send first sidelink service data to the second terminal, and the second sidelink radio bearer is used by the second terminal to send a first radio link control RLC status report for the first sidelink service data to the first terminal.