Trump to Meet Xi and Putin in China for Trilateral Summit

US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with his Russian and Chinese counterparts, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, in Shenzhen, China, next week, according to the White House. This trilateral summit is planned to take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

White House spokesperson Olivia Wales stated that President Trump intends to discuss the reduction of nuclear weapons during this meeting. Trump believes that nuclear proliferation is "very dangerous." Officials also indicated that the Iran war would be discussed, but the conflict in Ukraine would not be on the agenda.

Highlights

• US President Trump will hold a trilateral summit with the leaders of Russia and China in China.
• The meeting will occur in Shenzhen, China, during the APEC summit.
• Nuclear arms reduction and the Iran war are key topics for discussion.
• The war in Ukraine is not expected to be discussed at this summit; the US reportedly has a separate negotiation track for this issue.
• Trump is also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Details

According to the White House, US President Donald Trump will depart Washington for the Philippines to attend an ASEAN meeting, before heading to China for the APEC Summit scheduled for November 18-19. One of the main topics for the trilateral meeting, as emphasized by President Trump, will be the reduction of nuclear weapons globally. White House spokesperson Olivia Wales stated, "The president has made it clear that, among other topics, he will discuss the reduction of nuclear weapons in the world. This proliferation, President Trump believes, is very dangerous."

US officials indicated that the Iran war would also be addressed, but the war in Ukraine would not be on the agenda. A senior US official, speaking anonymously, mentioned that Washington has a "whole other track" of negotiations with Kyiv and Moscow aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Since China is not part of that track, it was deemed inappropriate to discuss Ukraine at this summit. Moscow and Beijing have not yet commented on the reported meeting.

Why it matters

This trilateral summit brings together the leaders of global powers like the US, Russia, and China, potentially marking a significant moment in international relations. The inclusion of critical topics such as nuclear arms reduction highlights global security concerns and the pursuit of cooperation. Furthermore, the decision to address the Ukraine issue on a separate platform indicates the adoption of diverse diplomatic approaches for different regional problems. This summit could offer insights into the future areas of cooperation or competition among the three nations.