US, Russia, and China to Hold Trilateral Summit in China Over Nuclear Arms

The White House has confirmed that a trilateral summit between the presidents of the United States, Russia, and China will take place next Thursday in Shenzhen, China. President Donald Trump, President Vladimir Putin, and President Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet to discuss nuclear arsenals and the reduction of global nuclear weapons. This meeting will occur on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. While the discussions focus on arms control, a US representative stated that the war in Ukraine is not intended to be a topic of the trilateral discussions.

President Donald Trump will also hold bilateral talks with President Xi Jinping on Thursday, which marks the fourth meeting between the two leaders since his return to office. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is expected to travel to China with President Donald Trump, though officials said he will not participate in the trilateral meeting.

Diplomatic tensions and regional conflict

The summit comes amid significant geopolitical shifts and ongoing conflict in Europe. In the Zaporizhzhia region, Russian attacks caused at least three deaths, including one child, and injured 62 people, including eight children, according to Governor Ivan Fedorov. Across Ukraine, at least seven people died and 80 were injured in various Russian attacks. Additionally, Russia has proposed a humanitarian corridor from Kostantynivka to force the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops.

Discrepancies remain regarding the intended scope of the meeting. While the White House focused on nuclear arms, Kremlin advisor Dmitrij Ušakov announced that President Vladimir Putin plans to meet the US president in China to continue negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine. This contrasts with reports from AFP suggesting there is no planned separate meeting between President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin.

Global arms control and shifting alliances

The discussions on nuclear weapons are taking place following the expiration of the New START treaty in February 2026, which was the last active arms control agreement between the United States and Russia. This meeting follows a period of rapid expansion of the Chinese nuclear arsenal.

In Europe, Bulgaria is ending its financial and military aid to Ukraine. President Rumen Radev has advocated for a diplomatic end to the war. Bulgaria had previously threatened to block the 21st EU sanctions package against Russia if Patriarch Kirill and Lukoil shareholder Vagit Alekperov were not removed from the list; both have since been removed. Meanwhile, public sentiment in Russia remains divided, as a Levada Center poll shows that nearly half of Russians view the future with apprehension, while approximately 40 percent are optimistic.

Glossary

• Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation — Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is an inter-governmental forum for 21 member economies in the Pacific Rim. It promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
• New START treaty — The New START treaty is an agreement limiting the number of U.S. and Russian long-range nuclear warheads. It is the sole remaining agreement of its kind between the two nations.