Trump, Putin and Xi are expected to meet in Shenzhen on the sidelines of the APEC summit, with Iran and nuclear arms control among the key discussion points.
US President Donald Trump is set to hold an unprecedented trilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in China next week, bringing the leaders of three major world powers together for discussions on international security and nuclear arms control.
The meeting is scheduled for Thursday in Shenzhen on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, according to reports confirmed by the White House on Friday.
The proposed gathering will mark the first joint meeting between the leaders of the United States, Russia and China, creating an unusual diplomatic opportunity amid tensions involving international security, regional conflicts and shifting geopolitical relationships.
According to US media reports, Iran and nuclear weapons are expected to feature prominently in the discussions. Trump intends to raise the issue of reducing nuclear weapons, while the wider security situation involving Iran is also expected to form part of the agenda.
A senior US official said Washington does not expect the meeting to produce any immediate agreement, describing it instead as an initial opportunity for the three countries to begin discussions at the highest political level.
The White House has indicated that nuclear arms reduction is among Trump’s priorities during the proposed talks. The discussions could also provide an opportunity to explore the prospects for broader cooperation on international security challenges.
However, the agenda will reportedly exclude Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. US officials have indicated that Trump does not intend to discuss the conflict during the trilateral session, as Washington maintains a separate diplomatic track involving Moscow and Kyiv.
Before the three-way meeting, Trump is expected to hold separate bilateral talks and a working lunch with Xi Jinping on Thursday afternoon.
No separate bilateral meeting between Trump and Putin is currently planned, according to US officials.
The planned encounter comes as Washington and Beijing continue efforts to manage their relationship despite differences over trade, security and other international issues. Their engagement also reflects the importance both countries attach to maintaining communication on matters affecting global stability.
For China, hosting the meeting provides an opportunity to bring Washington and Moscow into the same diplomatic setting and demonstrate Beijing’s role in international affairs.
The gathering is also significant because the United States, Russia and China possess some of the world’s largest nuclear arsenals, making their positions central to any wider international discussion on nuclear weapons reduction.
Although expectations of an immediate breakthrough remain limited, the proposed meeting could establish a starting point for further discussions among the three governments.
If held as scheduled, the Shenzhen meeting could become an important moment in international diplomacy, particularly as the three leaders consider nuclear security and the situation involving Iran.
The final outcome will depend on the discussions and whether the initial engagement leads to further diplomatic contacts between Washington, Moscow and Beijing.
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