Trump, Xi, Putin Set for Nuclear Talks
The three heads of state will convene at the APEC summit in China to discuss arms reduction and Iran.
By Fatima Saleh ·
Three heads of state will gather for a joint session next week. The White House announced Friday that President Donald Trump, Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet on the sidelines of the APEC summit in China. This marks the first trilateral sit-down between the leaders of the United States, China, and Russia.
Nuclear non-proliferation sits at the center of the agenda. Olivia Wales, a White House spokesman, told reporters that President Trump views the current spread of nuclear weapons as very dangerous. The last nuclear arms treaty between the US and Russia expired in February. China has been rapidly expanding its own nuclear arsenal since that time.
Washington officials described the upcoming session as a preliminary step rather than a final negotiation. A senior US official stated that the administration does not expect to reach a formal agreement during the meeting. That official characterized the gathering as the entry point for a first conversation at the leader level. The goal is to begin a productive dialogue among the three nuclear-armed states.
The leaders also plan to address the situation in Iran. A senior US official confirmed that Elon Musk is expected to travel with President Trump. However, Musk is not expected to attend the trilateral meeting itself.
