Trump, Putin and Xi Plan First Three-Way Meeting in Shenzhen

The White House says US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping plan to hold a meeting next week. It would be the first time the leaders of the three countries have met together. The talks are set to take place in Shenzhen, a southern Chinese city, on the margins of the APEC summit.

White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales told reporters the plan on Friday, 13 November. According to Wales, Trump wants to raise the reduction of nuclear weapons worldwide. She said he regards the spread of such weapons as very dangerous. Officials also said Trump intends to raise the war in Iran during the discussions.

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What is expected from the talks

Reporting by the BBC, citing news agencies AP and Reuters, says Ukraine is not expected to be on the agenda. A senior US official said Washington is handling Ukraine through separate negotiations with Kyiv and Moscow, and China is not part of those. Moscow and Beijing had not yet commented on the plan at the time of reporting.

A senior American official also said no agreement was expected to come out of the talks. The trilateral meeting is due to take place on Thursday. Trump is also scheduled to hold a bilateral working lunch and meeting with Xi that day. It would be their fourth meeting since Trump returned to office in 2025.

Trump is not scheduled to hold a separate one-on-one meeting with Putin, officials said. Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk is set to travel with Trump to China, but he will not take part in the meeting with Xi and Putin.

Trip schedule and wider context

Trump will also attend a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the Philippines on Tuesday. Reports differ on his travel timing. CNA reported that he would leave Washington on Monday, while the BBC said he is due to reach the southern city on the evening of Wednesday, ahead of a summit lasting two days.

The planned talks come after a nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia expired in February. The United Nations has urged both sides to agree a new framework quickly. Trump has said he could replace the expired deal with a better agreement that includes China, which has been expanding its nuclear arsenal.

Xi hosted Putin and Trump in Beijing earlier this year, days apart. Trump also welcomed Xi to Washington in September. Analysts have said that bringing China and Russia into arms talks could face major hurdles and take years.

Other issues on the table

China has become a key trading partner for Russia since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Western sanctions have been placed on Russia over the war. Recent American steps, such as an agreement allowing imports of Russian diesel and a pause in penalties aimed at the largest purchasers of Moscow’s crude and gas, raised concern in Europe.

Trump and Xi have sought to show warmer ties this year, but little clear progress appeared on trade, AI, or Taiwan. Beijing is also the largest buyer of Iranian oil. Chinese state media said Xi would take part in bilateral talks at the APEC summit, but had not reported on the trilateral meeting.

CNA added that Jensen Huang’s departure as Nvidia head, tied to a reported affair with a suspected Chinese intelligence asset, is unlikely to be raised during the sessions. Officials said export controls on sensitive chip technology will not be discussed either.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• BBC News: Trump, Putin and Xi plan historic joint meeting in China next week, White House says
• CNA: Trump, Xi, Putin to hold historic meeting in China: White House

This article was written with the help of AI from reports by the outlets listed above. See our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.