Trump, Putin, and Xi to meet in Shenzhen for trilateral summit

US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet in Shenzhen, China, during the week of November 15, 2026. This trilateral summit will take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. The meeting aims to address critical issues regarding global security and technology.

Proposed summit agenda

The potential agenda for the meeting includes discussions on nuclear disarmament, artificial intelligence, and the conflict in Iran. While the White House has confirmed the planning of the meeting, officials have not pre-empted any specific agreements. Two sources familiar with the planning report that a final agreement on the agenda and the format of the talks has not yet been reached.

The White House stated that the conflict in Ukraine will not be discussed during this trilateral meeting. According to the White House, talks regarding the conflict in Ukraine occur through a separate Washington-Moscow channel that does not essentially involve China. This exclusion comes as the conflict in Ukraine enters its fifth year.

The Nvidia scandal, which involves allegations of Chinese espionage and the movement of advanced US microchips, has also been excluded from the trilateral agenda. This specific detail regarding the Nvidia scandal and its connection to US microchips and espionage was reported by Naftemporiki.

Geopolitical concerns and analysis

The planned summit has raised concerns in Kyiv, Taipei, and Tokyo. These nations expressed apprehension regarding the possibility of major powers deciding the future of smaller nations without their involvement. This dynamic has led some to draw parallels to historical conferences, such as the February 1945 meeting where Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin negotiated the post-war order.

Analysis by Reuters suggests that the likelihood of a comprehensive agreement resulting from this meeting is limited. This assessment is based on the differing objectives held by the participating nations. Edgar Keegan, a former US State Department official for East Asia and current CSIS official, noted that China does not want to accept a negotiation framework that treats it as a major nuclear power obligated to submit to rules.

Diplomatic uncertainties

The meeting remains subject to several diplomatic variables. Because the final agreement on the agenda and format has not been reached, the exact nature of the discussions remains unconfirmed. While the White House has verified the planning of the summit, the specific outcomes remain uncertain. The meeting represents a significant moment for international diplomacy as the US, Russia, and China attempt to navigate complex global security and technological challenges.

Glossary

• artificial intelligence — Artificial intelligence refers to engineering tools used to analyze space weather data. These tools can potentially predict dangerous storms heading towards our planet and raise a warning alarm if needed.
• Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation — Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC AY-pek) is an inter-governmental forum for 21 member economies in the Pacific Rim. It promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region.