Trump is expected to raise nuclear weapons reduction at an unprecedented meeting with Putin and Xi Jinping in China next week but expectations for a big breakthrough are low senior US officials say no deal will emerge from the talks.
The three leaders are set to meet on November 19 on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China. The meeting would bring together the leaders of the world’s three nuclear powers for a discussion that could affect future international security and arms-control efforts.
White House Assistant Press Secretary Olivia Wales confirmed nuclear disarmament would be one of the topics: “Trump believes that spread of nuclear weapons is extremely dangerous and wants to talk about reducing stockpiles around the world,” she said.
A senior Trump administration official speaking on condition of anonymity said Washington “doesn’t expect an agreement to come out of this meeting.” Instead, the discussions are seen as an opportunity for the three countries to begin a conversation on a complicated international issue.
The meeting comes at a crucial moment for global nuclear security. The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) expired in February 2026. It had put limits on the strategic nuclear arsenals of the US and Russia for more than a decade.
After its expiration, the two countries no longer had the same legally binding restrictions on their strategic nuclear weapons. Trump rejected Russia’s request to extend the agreement for another year and called instead for a new, improved and modernised arrangement that would also include China.
But bringing Beijing into nuclear arms negotiations would be difficult. China has refused to take part in such talks because its arsenal is much smaller than the U.S. and Russia’s. Beijing has said that Washington and Moscow should first deal with their bigger stockpiles.
US officials and international security assessments say Russia and the US have thousands of warheads each; China’s arsenal is smaller but growing.
The issue of China’s growing nuclear capacity will also be part of the discussions. Washington wants Beijing to participate in international efforts to reduce nuclear risks but isn’t sure whether China is ready to consider formal commitments.
Trump will also discuss nuclear weapons with Putin and Xi apart from Iran war, but a senior US official said Russia’s war in Ukraine won’t be part of the trilateral meeting because Washington doesn’t see it as diplomatic.
The meeting will be watched closely by the international community because of the sway that these three countries have over world security. The leaders may not announce anything right away but it could be a chance to communicate on future arms-control negotiations.
For now, the question is whether the three governments can move beyond their differences and lay a foundation for nuclear arms reduction discussions.
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