Beijing: US President Donald Trump is expected to discuss nuclear disarmament and Iran with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin during an unprecedented trilateral engagement, senior US officials said, as reported by ABC News.
The meeting will bring together the leaders of three major global powers for a joint discussion. However, the Trump administration has played down expectations of an immediate breakthrough on nuclear weapons reduction, describing the engagement as an opportunity to begin discussions rather than reach a formal agreement.
White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said Trump intended to raise the issue of reducing nuclear weapons worldwide, calling proliferation a dangerous development.
“The President has made it clear that, among other topics, he will discuss the reduction of nuclear weapons in the world. This proliferation, President Trump believes, is very dangerous,” Wales said, according to CNN.
A senior US official said the administration was not expecting a concrete agreement from the meeting.
“We do not expect to get to any kind of agreement. I would characterise this as the entry point, the first conversation, certainly at the leader level, between these countries,” the official said.
Iran To Feature In Discussions, Ukraine War Not On Agenda
US officials said Trump is also expected to raise Iran with Xi and Putin. However, he does not plan to discuss Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine during the trilateral engagement.
Trump and Xi are scheduled to hold a separate bilateral meeting and working lunch before joining Putin for the three-way discussion. No separate one-on-one meeting between Trump and the Russian President is planned.
The discussions come amid renewed concerns over global nuclear security. The last nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia expired in February, while China has continued expanding its nuclear arsenal.
Elon Musk To Accompany Trump During China Visit
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk is also expected to accompany Trump during parts of his China visit, ABC News reported. US officials cited his business interests in the country as a reason for his presence.
However, Musk is not expected to participate in the trilateral meeting involving Trump, Xi and Putin.
Trump’s Asia Tour To Include Manila And Shenzhen
Before travelling to China, Trump is scheduled to visit Manila on Monday for the ASEAN Summit. He is expected to participate in discussions on Indo-Pacific peace and security and hold bilateral talks with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Trump will then travel to Shenzhen, China, for the APEC Summit. His schedule includes the leaders’ dinner and multilateral meetings, followed by a bilateral engagement with Xi.
The proposed trilateral discussion with Xi and Putin is expected to be the final major event of Trump’s Asia tour.
