Trump to Meet Chinese and Russian Leaders to Discuss Reducing Nuclear Weapons

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss reducing nuclear weapons. The three leaders are scheduled to meet on November 19, 2026, in Shenzhen, China, during Trump's Asia trip. According to the White House, the meeting will bring together the leaders of the United States, China and Russia for discussions on major international security issues. It would be the first formal three-way meeting involving the three leaders.

One of the main topics will be reducing the number of nuclear weapons held by the three countries. Trump wants to discuss ways to limit nuclear stockpiles and explore opportunities for future arms-control negotiations. White House officials have indicated that the meeting is intended to open discussions rather than produce an immediate agreement. A senior U.S. official said Washington does not expect a final deal or formal understanding to emerge from the meeting.

The discussions come after the expiration of the New START nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia in February 2026. The agreement previously placed limits on the number of strategic nuclear weapons that both countries could deploy.

China's participation could be a significant part of the discussions. However, Beijing has historically been reluctant to join nuclear arms-control negotiations with Washington and Moscow because its nuclear arsenal is considerably smaller than those of the two countries. In addition to nuclear weapons, the leaders may also discuss the war involving Iran. However, U.S. officials have indicated that the war in Ukraine is not expected to be part of the three-way meeting.

Before arriving in China, Trump is scheduled to visit the Philippines and meet leaders from Southeast Asia. He is also expected to hold a separate bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The planned meeting is drawing international attention because of the nuclear capabilities of the three countries. However, it remains uncertain whether the discussions will lead to any concrete agreement on reducing nuclear weapons.