Nuclear arms reduction talks will feature in a historic three-way summit between US Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, and Vladimir Putin in China next week, according to the White House.
The diplomatic gathering coincides with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) economic summit, which takes place in Shenzhen on Wednesday and Thursday. White House officials said that Trump intends to discuss a potential reduction of global nuclear stockpiles during the meetings. However, a US official tempered expectations for concrete outcomes or a formal agreement, describing the upcoming dialogue as an initial exploratory step.
Nuclear Powers Move Beyond Bilateral Talks to Trilateral Meetings
The three nuclear powers have never met in this configuration before. Previous interactions have strictly involved bilateral talks. While Trump, Putin, and Xi were all present at the 2019 G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, they held only bilateral discussions on the sidelines.
Trump has frequently advocated for a new arms control framework. The New Start treaty between the United States and Russia, signed in 2010 to limit strategic nuclear warheads and operational delivery systems, expired earlier this year.
When that agreement lapsed in February, Trump urged the negotiation of a long-term successor treaty and pressed for Beijing to be included in nuclear arms control agreements. The US administration said that Washington has maintained ongoing discussions with both Moscow and China regarding nuclear non-proliferation.
Late last year, Trump announced plans for US nuclear weapons testing, clarifying that the exercises would not involve nuclear explosions, stating that the United States did not want to remain the sole non-testing nation. Putin subsequently directed his government to examine the viability of potential nuclear tests.
Geopolitical Context and the War in Ukraine
The trilateral summit follows renewed diplomatic channels regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Teams from Russia and Ukraine recently held negotiations in the United Arab Emirates under US mediation, marking the first direct talks between the two sides in more than eight months.
Trump has long sought to encourage Xi to use Beijing's influence with Moscow to help bring an end to the conflict, which began in February 2022. China remains a primary economic partner for Russia, with large oil imports providing revenue for the Russian economy while Beijing offers diplomatic backing on the international stage.
| Date / Period | Event | Participants |
|---|---|---|
| February 2010 | New Start nuclear treaty signed | United States and Russia |
| June 2019 | G20 summit meetings | Trump, Putin, and Xi (bilateral only) |
| February 2025 | New Start treaty expires | United States and Russia |
| Summer 2025 | Bilateral summit | Trump and Putin (Alaska) |
| Next Week | Trilateral economic and security summit | Trump, Xi, and Putin (Shenzhen) |
Xi recently hosted Trump at the White House in September, and Putin traveled to Beijing in May to meet with Xi shortly after a preceding visit by the US president. Trump’s upcoming encounter with Putin marks their first face-to-face meeting since their bilateral summit in Alaska in the summer of 2025.
Earlier coverage: Trump, Xi and Putin to Meet in Shenzhen to Discuss Nuclear Arms Control
