Solid Gold Berjangka – U.S. President Donald Trump has opened the door to a potential trilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin this coming November. Such a meeting could address nuclear arms control, denuclearization, trade, and various geopolitical issues involving these three major global powers.
Trump indicated that the meeting could take place if Xi is willing to participate. The White House has reportedly been discussing the possibility for several weeks, with one proposed venue being on the sidelines of the APEC Summit, scheduled for November 18–19 in China.
If it comes to fruition, this would mark the first formal meeting bringing Trump, Xi, and Putin together simultaneously. While Trump has previously met with Xi and Putin individually, his administration has recently sought to improve Washington’s relations with both Beijing and Moscow.
A key topic likely to be discussed is nuclear arms control. Trump has previously suggested that a denuclearization agreement involving the U.S., Russia, and China remains a possibility, though he acknowledged that the process might not necessarily yield a formal deal this year.
These discussions have gained urgency following the expiration of the New START treaty, which for years limited the strategic nuclear arsenals of the U.S. and Russia. Russia holds the largest stockpile of nuclear warheads, followed by the U.S. and China; consequently, any progress in negotiations between these three nations could significantly impact global security stability.
However, China has previously maintained that its nuclear capacity remains far below that of the U.S. and Russia. Beijing argues that calls for China to join a trilateral disarmament process do not currently reflect the actual balance of nuclear capabilities among the three countries.
The meeting could also potentially touch upon the Russia-Ukraine war. In recent days, Trump has taken several steps toward improving relations with Moscow, including opening avenues for energy cooperation and granting exemptions from certain sanctions. The policy has drawn criticism from Ukraine, which fears that the move could strengthen Russia’s position in the conflict.
Meanwhile, Russia has launched another major series of air strikes on Ukraine, reportedly damaging energy infrastructure, cutting off power to more than 500,000 households, and resulting in a number of deaths. This situation underscores that any prospects for diplomacy remain overshadowed by tensions on the ground. Trump is scheduled to attend the APEC summit in China next month, while the possibility of meetings with Xi, Putin, and even North Korean leader Kim Jong Un remains a subject of interest ahead of that diplomatic agenda. (srh)