The leaders of the United States, China and Russia are preparing to meet face-to-face for the first time in a three-way summit, bringing together three countries whose decisions have a significant influence on global security, trade and international politics.
US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to meet on Thursday, 19 November, in Shenzhen, southern China, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
The White House confirmed the planned meeting on Friday, 13 November, describing it as an opportunity for the three leaders to discuss major international issues.
The gathering comes at a time of heightened tensions involving the three countries, particularly over nuclear weapons, the war in Iran and Russia's continued invasion of Ukraine.
Although the leaders have met one another in different bilateral combinations, bringing all three together for a single meeting would mark a new development in their diplomatic relations.
Nuclear weapons at the centre of discussions
One of Trump's main priorities is expected to be reducing the world's nuclear arsenals.
The meeting comes nine months after the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, commonly known as New START, expired in February 2026.
The agreement had placed limits on the strategic nuclear weapons deployed by the United States and Russia.
Its expiration removed the last major bilateral restrictions on the two countries' nuclear arsenals, raising concerns about the future of international arms control.
Trump has called for a new agreement that would include China, arguing that any future arrangement should reflect the growing importance of Beijing's nuclear capabilities.
However, reaching such an agreement may prove difficult.
China's nuclear arsenal remains considerably smaller than those of the United States and Russia. Pentagon estimates cited by the Associated Press put China's stockpile at more than 600 warheads, compared with more than 5,000 held by each of the other two countries.
Beijing has shown little enthusiasm for joining an agreement that would impose restrictions while its nuclear capabilities remain significantly below those of Washington and Moscow.
A senior US official said the meeting should be viewed as the beginning of discussions rather than an occasion when a major agreement is expected to be announced.
The war in Iran is also on the agenda
The conflict in Iran is another issue Trump intends to raise with Xi and Putin.
Washington maintains important relationships with both countries, although their interests and positions on the conflict differ.
Russia and China have developed closer diplomatic and economic ties with Iran, making their involvement relevant to discussions about regional stability.
US officials have indicated that Trump wants to explore ways of addressing the war, although details of what the three leaders might propose remain unclear.
The White House has also indicated that the war in Ukraine is not expected to feature in the formal discussions.
That decision is significant because Russia's invasion of Ukraine remains one of the most consequential international conflicts involving Moscow and Washington.
Putin has continued to pursue Russian territorial demands, while Ukraine maintains that its future must not be decided without its participation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed concern that discussions among the three powers could touch on his country's future without Kyiv being represented at the table.
Why the meeting matters to China and Russia
The planned summit also carries political significance for Xi and Putin.
For China, hosting the meeting provides an opportunity to demonstrate its diplomatic influence and present itself as a major player in discussions about international security.
The gathering will take place during the APEC summit, which brings together 21 economies to discuss regional economic cooperation, trade and investment.
For Putin, sitting alongside the leaders of the United States and China offers an opportunity to reinforce Russia's position as a major international power despite years of Western sanctions and diplomatic pressure following the invasion of Ukraine.
Russia and China have maintained close relations, particularly since 2022. China has become an important trading partner for Moscow, including through purchases of Russian energy resources and supplies of industrial and technological goods.
The two countries have also repeatedly expressed support for one another on important international issues, although their interests are not always identical.
Comparisons with the historic Yalta Conference
The announcement has also revived comparisons with the 1945 Yalta Conference, where the leaders of the United States, Britain and the Soviet Union discussed the future of Europe and the international order following the Second World War.
The comparison has raised concerns, particularly in Ukraine and South Korea, about major powers making decisions that could affect countries not represented in the discussions.
Zelenskyy has warned against any arrangement concerning Ukraine being negotiated without Ukrainian participation.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, however, has rejected the suggestion that the Shenzhen meeting should be compared directly with Yalta. He has argued that any agreements reached by the three leaders cannot simply be imposed on other countries.
The distinction is important: while the meeting brings together three influential governments, it does not give them the authority to determine the political future of other nations without their involvement.
High expectations, but difficult questions remain
Despite the historic nature of the planned gathering, expectations of an immediate breakthrough remain limited.
The three countries have different positions on nuclear weapons, regional conflicts and the future of the international order. China, in particular, has little incentive to accept nuclear restrictions designed around the much larger arsenals of the United States and Russia.
There are also unresolved disagreements over Iran and Ukraine, making it difficult to predict how far the discussions will go.
Nevertheless, bringing Trump, Xi and Putin together could open a new channel of communication between governments whose decisions affect millions of people beyond their borders.
The significance of the Shenzhen meeting will ultimately depend not on the photographs or statements produced during the summit, but on whether the three leaders can turn their discussions into practical steps towards reducing international tensions.
