Trump to hold first-ever joint meeting with Xi and Putin on the sidelines of APEC in China

President Donald Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin next week on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, the New York Post reported.White House confirms unprecedented Shenzhen meeting next week, with discussions expected on nuclear arms control. (AP Photo) (AP Photo/)The White House has confirmed the meeting saying that nuclear arms control will be a central topic alongside regional conflicts, including the war in Iran and NorthThe summit, scheduled during the APEC leaders’ meeting on November 18-19, comes after months of discussions between Washington, Beijing and Moscow over arranging a three-way dialogue.Also read : US flights grounded nationwide: A look back at the last major FAA shutdown in 2023Nuclear arms pact expected to dominate agendaTrump had publicly indicated earlier this month that he expected to meet both Xi and Putin during his China visit to discuss “denuclearisation.”Trump has long advocated a trilateral nuclear arms control agreement involving the United States, Russia and China. Since his first presidency, he has argued that maintaining vast nuclear arsenals is financially burdensome and strategically unnecessary.However, according to AP News, achieving such an agreement remains challenging. While the United States and Russia each maintain stockpiles exceeding 5,000 nuclear warheads, China’s arsenal is estimated to be much smaller. China, hence, has previously shown limited interest in joining formal arms reduction negotiations with US and Russia.Trump told reporters on Sunday that the anticipated meeting would focus on “a lot of things, including denuclearisation.”The summit follows Trump’s recent bilateral engagements with both leaders. He hosted Xi at the White House in September, while his last in-person meeting with Putin took place during an Alaska summit in August focused on efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to the New York Post.Also read: JD Vance may skip 2028 presidential race after Trump's midterm setback: ReportUkraine, Iran and US-China ties also in focusAlthough Ukraine is not expected to dominate the agenda, the conflict could still feature in discussions. Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have held multiple meetings with Putin this year to advance negotiations over the war. The meeting also comes amid continued tensions in US-China relations over trade, technology and artificial intelligence. Reports surrounding Nvidia’s leadership changes and US restrictions on advanced AI technology exports have added another layer to an already complex relationship between Washington and Beijing.China had earlier confirmed it was in communication with relevant parties regarding the proposed trilateral meeting, while the Kremlin also acknowledged discussions were underway.