United States President Donald Trump stated during a conversation with journalists that he will travel to China as early as next week, where, according to him, a meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping may take place. According to LiveNOW from FOX, cited by RBC-Ukraine, the American leader confirmed that such a trilateral meeting «could happen» and specified that the parties will discuss a wide range of issues, among which he specifically highlighted the topic of denuclearization. «I'm going to go to China... And one of the meetings, I think, will be with President Putin and President Xi. That'll be interesting. We'll discuss many issues, including denuclearization. But we'll talk about a lot of different things,» the publication quotes Trump as saying.
APEC Summit in Shenzhen as a Probable Venue
According to more detailed information provided by Mail.ru and Komsomolskaya Pravda, contacts between the three leaders could take place on the sidelines of the APEC summit held in the Chinese city of Shenzhen. Answering questions from the press, Trump proposed a format in which «we would schedule a meeting dedicated to denuclearization.» According to him, such negotiations would be «very positive» for the entire world. Thus, the American leader effectively outlined not only a readiness for dialogue but also a specific agenda that he considers a priority.
Ukrainian Settlement Not in Focus
Answering a question about whether the Ukrainian conflict would become a key topic of the potential trilateral meeting, Trump explicitly stated no: according to him, it is better to devote the conversation to nuclear weapons. «Because, to be honest, Russia is doing fine regarding Ukraine,» the US president added. This statement caused widespread resonance because it effectively suggests that Washington views the current situation around Ukraine as not requiring a separate track at the trilateral summit level. At the same time, Trump noted that he could discuss the Ukrainian conflict with Xi Jinping, but the Chinese leader is «so far» acting fairly regarding Kyiv, and the American side «appreciates» that.
Assessment of Beijing's and Moscow's Positions
The American leader also praised China's position on resolving the conflict between Kyiv and Moscow. «The United States appreciates Russia and China for rational steps,» Trump stated. Such rhetoric, in which both states are simultaneously called participants in «rational» actions, highlights Washington's attempt to build a single narrative around multilateral dialogue without singling out either side as an exclusive target for criticism or gratitude.
Context and Significance of the Statement
The announced trip to China and the potential trilateral meeting at the APEC venue are becoming one of the most prominent diplomatic events involving the US in the current cycle. Choosing denuclearization as a priority topic — while clearly pushing the Ukrainian issue to the background — reflects the strategic focus of the Trump administration on nuclear arsenal control and arms limitation at a global level. However, the implementation of the stated plan depends on the coordination of schedules of all three parties and the political will to hold contacts in the proposed format.
