SHENZHEN: US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to hold their first trilateral meeting on November 19 on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China. The White House confirmed the proposed meeting on November 13.
The meeting would bring together the leaders of the world's three largest nuclear powers for the first time in a trilateral format. The 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting is scheduled to take place in Shenzhen from November 18 to 19, according to China's Foreign Ministry.
Iran and nuclear arms control are expected to feature in the discussions, according to US officials. A senior US official told the Associated Press that Trump plans to discuss the Iran war with Putin and Xi, while seeking a three-way agreement on nuclear arms stockpiles. The official said the meeting would be the beginning of a conversation on nuclear disarmament and that no agreements were expected to be announced.
The proposed talks come after the expiry of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), the last remaining nuclear arms control agreement between the US and Russia, in February 2026. Russia had called for a one-year extension of the treaty, but Trump rejected the proposal and pushed for a new agreement that would also include China.
China has so far shown little interest in joining such an arrangement, given the significant difference between its nuclear arsenal and those of the US and Russia.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s (SIPRI) Yearbook 2026, which provides estimates for the beginning of 2026, the US had a total inventory of 5,042 nuclear warheads, while Russia had 5,420. China’s estimated inventory stood at 620. The figures include both military stockpiles and retired warheads awaiting dismantlement.
The proposed meeting also carries implications for India. New Delhi maintains longstanding defence ties with Moscow while pursuing strategic and economic cooperation with Washington. At the same time, its relationship with Beijing remains strained by unresolved border tensions.
Any discussion on nuclear arms control involving the three powers could have wider implications for the global security framework. Developments in the Iran conflict could also affect India's energy security, given its dependence on imported oil and its interests in the region.
(With inputs from media reports)