President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend a historic meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin next week. This will mark Trump's first foreign trip since the midterm elections and the first-ever gathering of the leaders of these three major nuclear powers. The summit will take place on Thursday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China.
While the meeting is seen as symbolically significant, analysts anticipate low expectations for major breakthroughs, suggesting it will be more about appearance than substance. According to a senior U.S. official, Trump plans to discuss the war in Iran with Xi and Putin but will avoid topics such as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The official briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.
The gathering occurs amidst fallout from the ousting of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who was reportedly involved with an alleged agent of the Chinese government. Despite accusations that Huang's company, Megaspeed, shipped advanced computer chips to China, U.S. administration officials do not expect Trump to confront Xi on the matter, nor do they anticipate Chinese retaliation. Officials believe the Nvidia situation should not impact the trip, as export controls are not subject to foreign negotiations.
Trump's team is reportedly exploring ways to close loopholes in existing trade measures, including export licensing and preventing Chinese firms from accessing advanced chips remotely. The White House confirmed the summit plans on Friday, noting the complex relationship between the three nations.
Historically, Trump has engaged in a complex relationship with both Xi and Putin. He previously declared a truce in the trade war with China and has sought to foster a relationship with Putin, despite ongoing conflicts and deepening Moscow-Tehran ties. Trump has expressed that the trilateral meeting could provide an opportunity to discuss the Iran war and his goal of a three-way agreement on nuclear arms stockpiles. The last nuclear arms pact between the U.S. and Russia, New START, expired in February, and Trump has called for a new deal that includes China.
U.S. officials characterize the meeting as a moment for China to "step up to the adult table" on international nuclear disarmament discussions, though no agreements are expected to be announced. China's nuclear arsenal is significantly smaller than those of the U.S. and Russia, and Beijing has shown little interest in developing a nuclear pact.
Xi may view the summit as an opportunity to assert China's growing global influence, while the Kremlin sees it as a chance to posture as a superpower alongside the U.S. and China. The summit could potentially overshadow the APEC gathering, which aims to showcase China's economic and technological advancements.
Putin and Xi have cultivated a close relationship, meeting frequently since 2013. Trump and Putin have met in person seven times, and Xi and Trump have had eight face-to-face meetings. China has become Moscow's principal supplier of key technologies, including high-tech components for its defense industries, since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Beijing has maintained neutrality on the conflict, while criticizing Western allies for provoking Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has voiced concerns that the meeting could become a venue for discussing a potential resolution to the Ukraine conflict without Kyiv's involvement. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has dismissed comparisons of the summit to the Yalta Conference, stating that any agreements reached cannot be enforced on others and emphasizing mutual benefit and respect in global order.