The United States President Donald Trump will urge discussions on reducing global nuclear arsenals when meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Shenzhen next week, according to the White House.
Meeting Details
The event is scheduled for Thursday as part of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. It would mark the first time that all three leaders are set to engage directly in a trilateral discussion about nuclear weapons.
White House Statement
In an official statement Friday, White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said: 'He will discuss the reduction of nuclear weapons in the world, whose proliferation President Trump believes is very dangerous.'
No Agreement Expected
A senior U.S. official told Reuters that no agreement on arms reductions is expected during the meeting. The official emphasized that China has historically resisted such talks, arguing it is unfair and unrealistic for Beijing to participate in negotiations involving Russia and the United States—two nations with larger arsenals—at this stage.
China’s Position
The Chinese Foreign Ministry previously stated in October that asking China to join so-called trilateral nuclear disarmament discussions was 'neither fair, reasonable nor realistic' at present. State media have reported that President Xi will hold bilateral meetings at APEC but have not confirmed or mentioned a trilateral session.
Russia and China Have Not Responded
To date, neither Moscow nor Beijing has issued an official statement confirming participation in or commenting on the White House announcement of a trilateral meeting.
Nuclear Arms Context
Since February 2024, the U.S.-Russia New START treaty—once a key framework for arms control—has been expired, leaving major nuclear arsenals without formal limits. According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia holds the largest number of stored warheads globally, followed by the United States and then China.
Trump’s Broader Agenda
During his visit to Asia, Trump will also raise concerns about the U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran but is not expected to bring up issues related to Ukraine in this meeting.
The White House has not confirmed whether the discussion on nuclear disarmament will be framed as a negotiation or an expression of policy concern. The absence of any agreement expectation reflects broader skepticism within the U.S. administration regarding China's willingness—or capacity—to engage meaningfully in arms control talks with Western powers.