The leaders of the United States, Russia, and China will hold their first-ever joint meeting on Thursday in Shenzhen, China, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. The White House confirmed the historic trilateral gathering, which will include U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Key developments:
- The meeting will focus on nuclear weapons reduction and the war in Iran, according to U.S. officials.
- Ukraine will not be discussed at the trilateral talks, though separate negotiations on the conflict are ongoing.
- No formal agreements are expected from the talks, a senior U.S. official told reporters.
The summit marks the first time the leaders of the world’s three largest nuclear powers will convene simultaneously. The meeting follows the expiration of the New START treaty in February, which had previously limited U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals. Trump has pushed for a new agreement that includes China, though Beijing has resisted participation, citing its smaller nuclear stockpile.
Nuclear arms control in focus
The White House stated that Trump will prioritize discussions on reducing global nuclear proliferation, calling the issue "very dangerous." The U.S. president has rejected Russia’s offer to extend the New START treaty without China’s inclusion. Russia possesses over 5,000 nuclear warheads, while the U.S. has a similar arsenal. China, by comparison, has more than 600 warheads, according to estimates.
A senior U.S. official told reporters that no breakthroughs are anticipated, emphasizing the meeting’s symbolic significance over substantive outcomes. The official added that Iran will be on the agenda, reflecting ongoing U.S. concerns about the conflict in the region.
Ukraine excluded from trilateral talks
Despite Russia’s involvement in the war in Ukraine, U.S. officials confirmed that the conflict will not be discussed during the trilateral meeting. A senior administration official stated that separate negotiations involving Ukraine and Russia are being handled through a "whole other track" of diplomacy. The official noted that China is not a key participant in those discussions, making its inclusion in Ukraine-related talks "not appropriate."
Bilateral meetings and additional engagements
Trump is also scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Xi Jinping on Thursday, marking their fourth interaction since Trump’s return to office in 2025. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk will accompany Trump on the trip but will not participate in the meetings with Xi or Putin.
The U.S. president will conclude his visit with an attendance at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in the Philippines on Tuesday. The White House described the trip as an effort to "secure historic wins" and "advance America’s interests in the Indo-Pacific."
Context and historical comparisons
The proposed summit has drawn comparisons to the 1945 Yalta Conference, where U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin discussed post-World War II arrangements. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed concerns that the meeting could lead to decisions affecting smaller nations without their input, stating, "We really don’t want this to turn into ‘Yalta 2, 3, 4,’ with a redistribution of influence."
Analysts suggest that while the meeting is unprecedented, expectations for tangible outcomes are low. The gathering is seen as more symbolic than substantive, with the primary focus on dialogue rather than immediate policy changes.
Additional context
The summit occurs amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, including the war in Ukraine and the conflict in Iran. The expiration of the New START treaty has left the world’s two largest nuclear powers without arms control restrictions for the first time in decades. The United Nations has urged both the U.S. and Russia to agree on a new framework without delay.
Trump’s trip to China follows his first foreign visit since the midterm elections, marking a significant moment in U.S. diplomatic engagement with the region. The administration has downplayed the significance of unrelated controversies, such as the Nvidia ‘honeypot’ scandal, stating that the issue "should not have any bearing on the trip."