On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his willingness to engage in a trilateral summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin focused on nuclear weapons. This significant meeting could potentially occur as early as next month, according to Reuters.
"We would meet to discuss nuclear weapons and denuclearization. We'd set up a meeting based on denuclearization, which is very positive for the world," Trump told reporters outside the White House. "If President Xi wants to do it, I would do it. I am sure we would also discuss other matters, like trade."
The potential gathering is expected to happen on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, slated for November 18-19 in Shenzhen, China. Trump has already confirmed his attendance at the forum, marking his second trip to China in 2026 and his third meeting with Xi during that period.
Internal Discussions and International Reactions
The White House has been internally discussing the possibility of a trilateral meeting focused on denuclearization for weeks, according to a source familiar with the matter cited by Reuters. The three leaders have met separately on various occasions but have never engaged in formal joint talks.
The Kremlin confirmed on Monday that the topic had emerged in prior discussions. However, spokesman Dmitri Peskov clarified that "no specific proposals or agreements were discussed or presented regarding the meeting itself or the possible agenda and content of that meeting."
Potential Impact on Ukraine Conflict
The Wall Street Journal reported that Putin suggested using the meeting to negotiate an end to the conflict in Ukraine on terms favorable to Moscow, a suggestion allegedly made during a phone call with Trump on October 9.
China, on the other hand, has not publicly confirmed Xi's participation in any trilateral summit. The Chinese foreign ministry stated last week that their nuclear arsenal "is not at the same level as those of the U.S. and Russia" and that it would be "neither fair, nor reasonable, nor realistic" to ask them to join trilateral disarmament talks at this stage.
U.S.-Russia Relations and the Broader Nuclear Context
This announcement comes amid a period of accelerated rapprochement between Washington and Moscow. Last Friday, Trump signed an executive order suspending major sanctions against Russia. Days earlier, he announced a Russian diesel agreement with Putin. Both measures have drawn criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who warned that these concessions could prolong the war.
Trump downplayed Ukraine's role in the potential negotiation. "I would do it, not so much for Ukraine, because Russia, frankly, has been fine in Ukraine," he stated, adding that "Zelensky is not helping much" and that "it's time for someone else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine."
In the early hours of Monday, Russia launched one of its broadest airstrikes in months against Ukrainian territory, leaving more than half a million homes without electricity and causing ten fatalities.
The nuclear context surrounding the proposal is critical: the New START treaty—the last strategic arms control agreement between the U.S. and Russia—expired in February 2026, leaving both powers without legally binding limits on their arsenals for the first time in over half a century. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia holds the largest number of stored nuclear warheads, followed by the United States and China.
Last week, Trump had already hinted at the possibility of a denuclearization deal with Russia and China, although he clarified that "it doesn't have to be this year." The potential trilateral summit at APEC would represent, if realized, one of the most ambitious diplomatic initiatives of his second term.
Key Questions on Trilateral Arms Control Talks
What is the main goal of the proposed trilateral summit?
The primary aim of the proposed summit is to discuss nuclear weapons and denuclearization among the United States, China, and Russia.
When and where is the trilateral meeting expected to take place?
The meeting is anticipated to occur on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China, on November 18-19.
Why is China hesitant to join trilateral disarmament talks?
China has expressed that their nuclear arsenal is not on par with those of the U.S. and Russia, making it unfair and unrealistic to expect them to join such discussions at this stage.