Trump, Xi and Putin to Hold Trilateral Meeting on Apec Sidelines

Leaders of the United States, the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China are planning to meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen next week, the White House said.

President Donald Trump will attend the two-day Apec summit and conclude his visit to China with a trilateral meeting involving President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin, White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales told reporters. The meeting will take place as Trump arrives in Shenzhen late on Wednesday and will follow bilateral talks between Trump and Xi scheduled for Thursday.

Wales said that among other topics the president will discuss reduction of nuclear weapons and that Iran may also be discussed during the meeting of the world’s biggest nuclear powers. The White House added that no agreement was expected to follow the talks, citing an unnamed senior American official.

Moscow and Beijing had not commented on the trilateral meeting, and Chinese state media reported only that Xi would take part in bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Apec summit. Earlier reporting from Russian state news agency Tass cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying there were signals confirming readiness for such talks at the summit.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The planned trilateral meeting brings the leaders of major nuclear powers into a single discussion at a high-profile regional summit, signaling an opportunity for direct dialogue on nuclear arms reduction and other global security concerns. The White House framing of nuclear weapons reduction and the possible inclusion of Iran on the agenda suggests a focus on strategic stability among the three capitals. Public expectations appear calibrated by the administration and other officials to anticipate discussion rather than binding agreement, reflecting the diplomatic nature of the encounter.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• The trilateral meeting will occur on the sidelines of the Apec summit in Shenzhen next week.
• President Donald Trump will attend the two-day Apec summit and participate in bilateral talks with President Xi Jinping.
• White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said nuclear weapons reduction will be among topics discussed and Iran may also be raised.
• An unnamed senior American official said no agreement was expected to follow the talks.
• Moscow and Beijing had not issued comments on the trilateral meeting ahead of the summit.