US, Russia, and China to Hold Trilateral Meeting at APEC Summit in Shenzhen

U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet in Shenzhen, China, on Thursday, November 19, 2026. The White House confirmed the trilateral meeting, which will occur on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit. While the White House has announced the meeting, officials from China and Russia have not yet officially confirmed their participation.

The primary objective of the meeting is to discuss the reduction of nuclear weapons worldwide. White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said, "The President intends to discuss the reduction of global nuclear weapons and considers proliferation dangerous." President Donald Trump also intends to raise the issue of Iran during the discussions. Additionally, President Donald Trump will hold a separate bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping on Thursday. This will mark the fourth meeting between the two leaders since President Donald Trump returned to office in 2025.

Diplomatic Context and Ongoing Negotiations

The meeting comes at a time of significant shifts in international relations. The last nuclear arms treaty between the United States and Russia expired in February. According to the Wall Street Journal, the trilateral meeting was proposed by Vladimir Putin in mid-October. This meeting marks a new stage in the return of Vladimir Putin to the international stage following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The war in Ukraine is not expected to be a topic of discussion during this specific trilateral meeting. Negotiations regarding the conflict are being conducted through a separate channel. These negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow involving US mediation recently took place in Abu Dhabi. On Friday, November 14, 2026, a summit in Dublin determined the European representatives for these processes, including France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, Italy, and the European Union. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz requested that there be no surprises regarding the upcoming peace talks.

Future Outlook

While the meeting brings the three world leaders together, an unnamed senior US official said, "The meeting is an entry point for conversation rather than a venue for immediate agreements." The summit in Shenzhen involves 21 member states of the APEC organization.

Glossary

• nuclear weapons — Nuclear weapons are subjects of global reduction discussions. Proliferation of these weapons is considered dangerous.
• bilateral meeting — A bilateral meeting is a separate meeting held between two leaders. These meetings can occur on the sidelines of larger summits.
• trilateral meeting — A trilateral meeting is a meeting involving three parties. It can be proposed by one of the participants to discuss specific objectives.
• nuclear arms treaty — A nuclear arms treaty is an agreement between nations regarding nuclear weapons. These treaties can expire or lapse over time.