Trump, Xi, and Putin to meet in Shenzhen

Leaders of the United States, China, and Russia will gather Thursday in Shenzhen, China, for a three-way meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. The White House confirmed the plans Friday, marking the first time the heads of the world's biggest nuclear powers are set to sit together for joint talks.

The meeting comes as relations among the three nations remain complex. President Donald Trump recently reached a trade truce with President Xi Jinping and has worked to strengthen his relationship with President Vladimir Putin. Trump intends to discuss the U.S. war with Iran and a potential three-way agreement on nuclear arms stockpiles. Officials said the U.S. leader will steer clear of discussing the war in Ukraine during the session.

The last nuclear arms pact between the U.S. and Russia, known as New START, expired in February. That expiration removed caps on the two largest atomic arsenals for the first time in more than half a century. Trump rejected a Russian call to extend the two-country deal and instead sought a new arrangement that includes China. A senior U.S. official said the trilateral meeting is expected to start those negotiations, with no final agreements anticipated.

Pentagon estimates place China's arsenal at more than 600 warheads, far smaller than the more than 5,000 warheads held by each of the U.S. and Russia. China has shown little interest in a nuclear pact in the past, but Beijing may see the summit as a chance to demonstrate its growing global prestige. The Kremlin views the meeting as an opportunity to position Russia as a superpower on par with Washington and Beijing.

Edgard Kagan, a former U.S. ambassador to Malaysia now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, noted that the gathering signals a desire to discuss decisions on Ukraine with the U.S. and China. Critics argue this approach may overshadow China's push to portray itself as a defender of free trade at APEC. Hoo Tiang Boon, a professor of Chinese foreign policy at Nanyang Technological University, said the meeting runs counter to Chinese support of multilateralism.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed concern that the leaders might discuss a potential Ukraine deal without Kyiv's involvement. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed comparisons to the 1945 Yalta Conference, stating that any agreements reached in Shenzhen cannot be imposed on others. He emphasized that the meeting should be based on mutual benefit and respect.

The APEC summit brings 21 economies to Shenzhen, a city that has transformed from a small fishing village into a global technology hub. The leaders have met in pairs multiple times in recent years. Trump and Putin last met in Alaska in August 2025, while Xi and Trump held talks during a state visit to Washington in September. The three-way summit will take place next week as Shenzhen hosts the broader economic gathering.