Context:

Trump seeks a trilateral summit with Xi and Putin in China to pursue denuclearization, a move that would be unprecedented for U.S.-China-Russia engagement. While the idea has been floated by Moscow since July, Beijing has not signaled willingness. Trump has indicated that Ukraine would not be the focus, and the gathering could occur alongside his participation in the APEC meeting in mid-November, aiming to advance nuclear limits rather than a specific war settlement.

Dive Deeper:

• The Kremlin has been proposing a three-way meeting since July, with Putin raising the issue in two phone conversations with Trump, including a recent one last week.

• Beijing has not publicly expressed willingness to host or participate in such a trilateral summit, creating a significant willingness gap to overcome.

• Trump stated that the summit could cover denuclearization and that Ukraine would not be the central topic, signaling a different strategic emphasis for the talk.

• Trump plans to travel to China in mid-November to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' meeting, around which talks of a trilateral summit are centering.

• The proposal, if realized, would be an unprecedented gathering of the three nations' leaders and would shape ongoing conversations about nuclear weapons and strategic stability.

• The timing and willingness of Xi and Xi's administration to engage, as well as the agenda alignment on denuclearization, remain uncertain and subject to diplomatic maneuvering.