Trump, Xi and Putin Plan Unprecedented Trilateral Meeting on APEC Sidelines
The leaders are expected to discuss nuclear weapons and international security during the APEC summit, though officials do not anticipate immediate major agreements.
Trump, Xi and Putin Plan Unprecedented Trilateral Meeting on APEC Sidelines
U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to hold an unprecedented three-way meeting in Shenzhen on November 19, bringing the leaders of the world's three major nuclear powers together on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting.
The proposed gathering, confirmed by the White House and the Kremlin, would add a major geopolitical dimension to China's hosting of the 33rd APEC summit. The meeting is expected to address international security issues, including nuclear arms control and the conflict involving Iran, although officials have indicated that major agreements are unlikely to emerge immediately.
According to the Associated Press, the White House confirmed the plans on Friday, with the Kremlin confirming the arrangement on Saturday. A senior U.S. official said Trump intended to discuss the Iran war and nuclear weapons with Xi and Putin, but did not expect agreements to be announced at the meeting.
The planned meeting comes at a complicated moment in relations among Washington, Beijing and Moscow. The United States and China have sought to stabilise their economic relationship following trade tensions, while Washington and Moscow remain divided over Russia's war in Ukraine and wider European security.
For China, hosting the meeting offers an opportunity to demonstrate its diplomatic influence and reinforce its position as a major international actor. Xi has maintained close relations with Putin while also seeking to manage competition and cooperation with the United States.
However, the trilateral format could also raise difficult questions about the balance of power among the three countries. Russia and the United States possess nuclear arsenals substantially larger than China's, and Beijing has shown little interest in joining a nuclear arms-control arrangement that does not account for the differences in their respective stockpiles.
The previous U.S.-Russia nuclear arms control framework, the New START treaty, expired in February 2026, removing the final treaty-based limits on the two countries' strategic nuclear arsenals. Trump has expressed interest in a broader agreement that would include China, but Beijing has resisted calls to participate in negotiations structured around the much larger U.S. and Russian arsenals.
The Associated Press reported that U.S. officials viewed the Shenzhen gathering as an opportunity to begin a discussion on nuclear disarmament rather than conclude a comprehensive agreement. Pentagon estimates cited by the report put China's nuclear warhead stockpile at more than 600, compared with more than 5,000 each for the United States and Russia.
The meeting may also attract attention because of its potential implications for the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed concern that discussions among the three leaders could create a platform for decisions affecting Ukraine without Kyiv's direct participation. A U.S. official told reporters that Trump did not plan to discuss Ukraine during the meeting.
For Moscow, the trilateral format offers an opportunity to reinforce its image as a major power capable of engaging directly with Washington and Beijing. Russia has deepened its economic and strategic relationship with China since Western countries imposed sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The gathering could also overshadow the wider APEC agenda. The summit, scheduled for November 18 and 19, will bring together leaders and representatives from 21 member economies to discuss regional trade, economic cooperation and development.
China has presented this year's APEC theme as "Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together," with priorities including openness, innovation and cooperation. The possibility of a high-profile meeting involving Trump, Xi and Putin may therefore place additional attention on security and great-power relations.
Whether the three leaders can move beyond symbolism to substantive progress remains uncertain. For now, the planned meeting represents a rare diplomatic moment, but its significance will depend on the agenda, the statements issued afterward and whether it leads to follow-up negotiations.