Trump, Xi, and Putin to hold historic trilateral summit in Shenzhen

President Donald Trump will hold a historic trilateral summit with President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin in Shenzhen, China, on Thursday, November 19, 2026. The meeting will occur on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. This gathering marks the first-ever trilateral meeting between the leaders of the United States, China, and Russia.

Nuclear non-proliferation and arms control

The primary focus of the summit is nuclear non-proliferation and arms control. The White House confirmed that the summit will address these issues. White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said that the President intends to address the reduction of nuclear weapons globally as proliferation is dangerous. A senior US official stated that the meeting is an entry point for conversation rather than an expectation of an immediate agreement.

The summit follows the expiration of the New START treaty in February 2026. The New START treaty was the last bilateral strategic arms reduction agreement between the United States and Russia. The Kremlin had previously suspended the application of the New START treaty in 2023. Kremlin spokesperson Dimitri Peskov confirmed the meeting date of November 19 after reaching an agreement with the other parties.

China has previously declined to join trilateral disarmament negotiations while expanding its nuclear arsenal. While the summit focuses on nuclear issues, the United States intends to discuss the conflict in Iran and the rising cost of fuel due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Diplomatic context and regional concerns

The summit is expected to exclude discussions regarding the conflict in Ukraine. However, President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed concern that a trilateral meeting might result in deals regarding Ukraine without the consultation of Kyiv. This meeting follows a previous meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska in August 2025.

The scheduled summit will occur during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, which is scheduled for November 18 and 19. While some sources suggest the meeting may touch on North Korea, this has not been confirmed by official sources. The exact topics to be discussed remain a subject of debate among various observers.

Travel and delegation details

President Donald Trump is expected to travel to the Philippines before arriving in China. The President is expected to travel to China accompanied by Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla. The meeting in Shenzhen will conclude the scheduled events of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

Glossary

• Shenzhen — Shenzhen is a city in China. It is the location where the Conference on International Exchange of Professionals (CIEP) is held.
• Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation — The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is an international organisation. It has been invited to participate in summits in the past.
• New START treaty — The New START treaty is a bilateral strategic arms reduction agreement between the United States and Russia. It is the sole remaining agreement limiting the number of U.S. and Russian long-range nuclear warheads.
• Kremlin — The Kremlin is a location where meetings between leaders, such as the president of Argentina and the president of Russia, can occur.