Trump Plans Nuclear Weapons Talks with Xi and Putin During Asia Trip

Washington, November 14 (Daily Kiran) : President Donald Trump is set to engage in discussions about nuclear weapons reduction with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin during his upcoming trip to Asia next week. However, U.S. officials do not anticipate any agreements to emerge from this trilateral meeting.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Wells confirmed that the discussions will take place at the conclusion of Trump’s visit to China. A senior U.S. official indicated that the goal of the talks is not to reach an immediate agreement but to initiate a dialogue aimed at reducing nuclear arsenals.

The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, emphasized, “We do not expect any kind of agreement.” Trump is also expected to address issues related to Iran during his meeting with Xi and Putin, though discussions regarding Ukraine are unlikely to be part of the agenda, as those talks are ongoing separately with Russia.

There is no scheduled bilateral meeting between Trump and Putin, although both leaders are expected to be present at various events together. The nuclear discussions are part of Trump’s broader agenda, which includes regional diplomacy and efforts to implement existing trade agreements. Wells noted that Trump will depart from Washington on Monday morning and arrive in Manila on Tuesday evening local time.

In the Philippines, Trump plans to meet with leaders of the Quad, sign a trade agreement with Thailand, and participate in a special U.S.-ASEAN summit. A state welcome ceremony, a bilateral meeting with the Philippine president, and a banquet are scheduled for Wednesday.

Following this, Trump will travel to Shenzhen for a dinner with APEC leaders. Wells stated that meetings with APEC leaders will take place on Thursday, including a bilateral meeting with Xi and a working lunch.

On the trade front, discussions with China will primarily focus on enforcing existing agreements rather than announcing new tariff deals. The official mentioned that U.S. trade representatives and Treasury officials had met with their Chinese counterparts through the Board of Trade on the same day, discussing potential changes to tariffs and non-tariff barriers that could undermine any agreement’s significance.

Concerns remain over the pace and volume of rare earth mineral supplies from China, which has led to a two-month extension of the Busan Agreement instead of the originally planned six months. The official noted that Trump may discuss this issue with Xi.

Any changes to tariffs would require separate legal processes, including consideration of U.S. legal requirements and possibly a notice-and-comment process. No announcements related to the Board of Trade are expected during the leaders’ meeting.

U.S. officials also stated that American export controls are a matter of national security and will not be discussed with China. Proposed measures include applying licensing conditions to other countries to combat alleged chip smuggling and reviewing restrictions on remote access.

These measures are still under consideration and have not been officially declared as policy changes. An official mentioned that Elon Musk might accompany Trump on parts of his trip to China, but he will not participate in the bilateral meeting with Xi or the trilateral talks with Xi and Putin, which will involve only officials.

The White House noted that a meeting between Trump and Xi in September helped advance work related to bilateral trade and investment boards. APEC provides a platform for economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, and Wells indicated that the U.S. administration views these meetings as opportunities to expand markets for American exports and advance priorities related to trade, energy, and development.