Trump, Putin, Xi to Hold Unprecedented Trilateral Summit in China

Leaders of the United States, Russia, and China are expected to convene for an unprecedented trilateral meeting next week in Shenzhen, China, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. The summit, scheduled for Thursday, will focus on nuclear non-proliferation and developments concerning Iran, aiming to prevent further military escalation. White House spokesperson Olivia Wells stated that President Trump considers nuclear proliferation a grave threat and that reducing nuclear arsenals will be a key discussion point. The meeting occurs as the New START treaty between the U.S. and Russia expired in February, leaving no major nuclear arms limitation agreement between the two powers. China, meanwhile, continues to expand its nuclear capabilities, creating complex dynamics for future arms control negotiations, as Beijing insists that any talks should primarily involve Washington and Moscow due to their larger arsenals. U.S. officials anticipate the summit will initiate direct leader-level dialogue rather than concluding immediate agreements, according to CNN. Alongside nuclear issues, Trump plans to raise developments regarding the conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran, with U.S. officials telling Reuters that Washington seeks to avoid wider confrontation and gauge Moscow's and Beijing's stances on regional developments. The war in Ukraine is not expected to be on the agenda, nor is a separate meeting between Trump and Putin. Trump's four-day Asian tour begins Monday, including his participation in the APEC summit. American businessman Elon Musk is expected to accompany Trump to China but will not attend the trilateral meeting. No meeting between Musk and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is planned.