In a potentially historic diplomatic breakthrough, U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to hold their first-ever trilateral meeting in Shenzhen, China, on November 19, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

The White House confirmed Friday that the three leaders will focus primarily on global nuclear weapons reduction, international security and the ongoing conflict involving Iran. The war in Ukraine is not expected to be part of the formal trilateral agenda.

White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said Trump considers nuclear weapons proliferation a major global threat and wants to explore a broader arms control framework involving all three nuclear powers.

The meeting comes at a critical moment following the expiration of the last major U.S.–Russia nuclear arms control treaty in February 2026, raising international concerns about a renewed nuclear arms race.

Trump will also hold separate bilateral talks with Xi during the November 18–19 APEC summit, which brings together 21 Asia-Pacific economies. China has confirmed Xi’s participation but has not separately confirmed the trilateral meeting.

Despite the significance of the gathering, senior U.S. officials have cautioned that no immediate agreement is expected. Instead, the meeting could establish a foundation for future negotiations on nuclear disarmament and global security.

The unprecedented meeting could mark a turning point in relations among Washington, Moscow and Beijing, with potentially far-reaching implications for nuclear security, the Iran conflict and the future balance of global power.