US President Donald Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin next week to discuss possible reductions in the three countries’ nuclear arsenals, the White House confirmed Friday, in what could mark a significant development in global nuclear arms control.
A senior Trump administration official, briefing reporters on the planned meeting, said the three leaders would discuss ways to reduce their respective nuclear stockpiles. The gathering would mark the first time the leaders of the world’s three largest nuclear-armed countries have come together specifically to discuss nuclear nonproliferation and potential reductions in their arsenals.
The official described the meeting as an opportunity to begin a broader diplomatic process but cautioned against expecting an immediate agreement.
“This is hopefully the beginning of a conversation that can be productive going forward,” the official said, adding that Washington does not anticipate securing a nuclear reduction agreement during the talks.
The briefing was conducted on condition of anonymity, with reporters agreeing not to identify the official.
The discussions come at a critical moment for international arms control. The legal framework that previously placed limits on the strategic nuclear arsenals of the United States and Russia expired in February, leaving the two countries without the treaty-based restrictions that had governed their largest nuclear stockpiles.
There are currently no binding legal controls limiting the size of the strategic nuclear arsenals of the United States, Russia and China.
Beijing has previously resisted calls to participate in formal nuclear arms control negotiations, arguing that its nuclear capabilities remain significantly smaller than those of Washington and Moscow. However, China’s rapid expansion of its nuclear forces has increased pressure on the country to become more involved in international nonproliferation discussions.
According to a 2024 Pentagon report, China possesses approximately 600 nuclear warheads and is on course to expand its arsenal to around 1,000 by 2030. By comparison, Russia and the United States each possess approximately 5,000 nuclear weapons, making them the world’s two largest nuclear powers.
China’s growing nuclear capabilities and the limited transparency surrounding its military modernization have become major concerns for Washington.
The senior US official said Beijing’s lack of transparency regarding its nuclear arsenal had implications far beyond bilateral relations between the two countries.
“The things that China is doing very opaquely with their nuclear arsenals is something that has impacts on the security of every human being in the world,” the official said, without providing further details.
The proposed trilateral discussions could therefore provide an opportunity for Washington to raise concerns about China’s expanding nuclear capabilities while exploring whether the three governments can establish a foundation for future arms control negotiations.
Beyond nuclear nonproliferation, the three leaders are also expected to discuss the war in Iran, according to the administration official.
However, Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine will not be part of the planned trilateral agenda. Trump has reportedly made clear that he does not intend to discuss the conflict during the meeting.
“The president has said that he does not intend to talk about Ukraine in that meeting,” the official said, explaining that discussions concerning Ukraine are being handled through a separate diplomatic process that does not involve China.
The decision to exclude Ukraine is significant because the planned gathering has generated controversy over the possibility that Trump could discuss the country’s future directly with Putin and Xi.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, while China has maintained close economic and diplomatic relations with Moscow and provided support that Western governments say has helped sustain Russia’s war effort.
The prospect of Trump sitting alongside the leaders of Russia and China has raised questions about Washington’s approach to its European and Indo-Pacific allies.
The meeting will also create a highly symbolic moment, bringing together the leaders of the United States, China and Russia, whose strategic interests frequently conflict over international security, trade, military competition and regional influence.
Ian Brzezinski, a former US deputy assistant secretary of defense for European and NATO policy from 2001 to 2005 and currently a fellow at the Atlantic Council, criticized the diplomatic optics of the gathering.
“The optics of this are terrible,” Brzezinski said.
He argued that allowing Trump to pursue discussions with the leaders of the world’s two largest authoritarian powers without the active participation of Washington’s traditional allies could undermine confidence among US partners.
“The idea that they would sit together with Trump and try to solve problems without the active involvement of our allies and partners — almost giving them precedence over our allies and partners — will be very troubling to our allies in Europe, the Indo-Pacific and elsewhere,” he said.
The planned meeting comes as the international security environment becomes increasingly complicated, with nuclear modernization, regional conflicts and deteriorating arms control arrangements intensifying strategic competition among major powers.
Although the White House has lowered expectations of an immediate agreement, direct discussions among Washington, Beijing and Moscow could establish an important diplomatic channel for addressing nuclear risks.
Whether the meeting produces a framework for future negotiations will depend on the willingness of the three governments to address their differences over nuclear transparency, strategic stability and the future limits of their arsenals.
