U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on October 19 that he is open to holding a trilateral meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss nuclear arms reductions and denuclearization. The proposed talks could occur on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, scheduled for November 18–19.
Trump stated that while he would consider such a meeting, his primary focus would be on nuclear weapons discussions, though he acknowledged other topics, including trade, might arise. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the meeting had been discussed hypothetically, emphasizing that no specific proposals or agreements had been finalized regarding the agenda or structure of the talks.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha publicly opposed the idea of a trilateral meeting without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s participation, arguing that such a format would encourage Russia to prolong the war in Ukraine. Trump, however, suggested that he would be willing to engage in discussions to end the conflict even if Zelenskyy were not present, stating, “Anything I can do to end the war, whether somebody’s there or not.”
Russian officials have proposed using the potential meeting to address the Ukraine war, though U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that discussions remain unfinalized. Meanwhile, Trump has taken steps to improve relations with both Moscow and Beijing, including waiving key sanctions on Russia and signing a diesel-fuel deal with Russian energy firms. Xi Jinping has also cultivated closer ties with Putin, further aligning the three nations diplomatically.
The proposed summit would mark an unprecedented three-way arms-control dialogue among the world’s largest nuclear powers, with potential implications for global security dynamics and alliances in Europe and the Indo-Pacific. While some analysts warn the meeting could undermine transatlantic and Indo-Pacific partnerships, others suggest it could reduce tensions if substantive agreements are reached.
Key Context:
- The APEC summit in Shenzhen is the proposed venue for the meeting, though no official invitations or confirmations have been issued.
- Trump’s willingness to engage with Putin and Xi contrasts with his previous criticism of both leaders, signaling a potential shift in U.S. foreign policy toward greater engagement with non-Western powers.
- Ukraine’s exclusion from the proposed talks has drawn criticism from Kyiv, which argues that any negotiations on the war must include its leadership to be legitimate.