Donald Trump is planning a historic trilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin next Thursday in Shenzhen, China. The talks will take place on the sidelines of the annual conference of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), which is scheduled for November 18 and 19.
This will be the first meeting between the leaders of the United States, China and Russia in such a format. The main topic is expected to be the creation of a broader nuclear arms control agreement. A White House official, however, clarified that no immediate result is expected.
“We do not expect to reach any agreement. I would describe this as a starting point, the first conversation,” the American official told reporters.Iran and North Korea may also be discussed
According to the official, the talks may address the war in Iran and the situation surrounding North Korea. President Trump has already said that the meeting will cover “many things,” including nuclear disarmament and an attempt to end the war in Iran.
Ukraine, however, is unlikely to be part of the agenda. A US official said that China is not directly involved in the separate diplomatic process between Washington and Moscow, and therefore the topic does not appear suitable for the trilateral talks. No separate bilateral meeting between Trump and Putin is planned either.
Washington will also raise trade issues
In addition to nuclear weapons, Trump is expected to press China to comply with the trade truce reached last year. The US side is dissatisfied with the pace and volume of rare earth mineral exports, which are mined and processed mainly in China.
Trump and Xi Jinping met at the White House in September. The US president will travel to China together with Elon Musk, chief executive officer of SpaceX and Tesla.
Trump last spoke with Putin in person at the summit in Alaska in August, which focused on efforts to end the war in Ukraine. In parallel with preparations for the meeting, US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner continue their contacts with the Kremlin on the issue.
For Washington, the talks in Shenzhen are an opportunity to begin a dialogue with China on nuclear arsenals. A US official said that the Russian leader has more experience in arms control negotiations, while China’s nuclear capabilities are expanding significantly.
Sources: nypost.com, apnews.com