Trump Proposes Tripartite Meeting with Xi and Putin to Discuss Nuclear Disarmament

Washington, October 20 (Daily Kiran) : President Donald Trump has expressed his desire to hold a tripartite meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The primary agenda for this meeting would focus on reducing nuclear weapons and advancing nuclear disarmament. This discussion could potentially take place during Trump’s proposed visit to China next month.

Speaking to reporters before departing the White House on Monday, Trump indicated his readiness for such a meeting. However, he emphasized that the main focus should not be the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war but rather the issue of nuclear weapons reduction.

“I am ready to hold this meeting, but not for Ukraine. We will do it to discuss nuclear disarmament,” Trump stated.

His comments follow reports suggesting that Putin proposed a meeting of the leaders of Russia, China, and the U.S. during the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, in November.

As of now, there has been no official announcement regarding such a summit. None of the three nations have confirmed a shared agenda or established a timeline for nuclear talks.

Trump expressed his willingness to discuss nuclear weapons reduction with both Moscow and Beijing. He believes this could be an opportunity to address one of the world’s most pressing security challenges.

The President has previously voiced his hope for an agreement on nuclear weapons among the U.S., Russia, and China. However, there is a significant disparity in the number and capability of nuclear weapons among the three countries.

The U.S. and Russia possess the largest nuclear arsenals globally, while China has been steadily increasing its nuclear capabilities in recent years.

Trump noted that while China still lags behind the U.S. and Russia, it is rapidly enhancing its military strength.

His remarks come shortly after an interview on October 15, where he mentioned that the U.S. is already engaged in discussions regarding nuclear disarmament with Russia and China.

He acknowledged that reaching an agreement would not be easy, particularly because China has fewer nuclear weapons compared to the U.S. and Russia and may be reluctant to accept similar rules or restrictions.

China has previously opposed proposals for tripartite nuclear disarmament talks, arguing that its nuclear stockpile is significantly smaller than those of the U.S. and Russia, making it inappropriate for them to negotiate on the same terms.

Last week, China’s Foreign Ministry reiterated this stance, stating that expecting Beijing to participate in tripartite nuclear disarmament talks is neither reasonable nor practical at this time.

This potential dialogue emerges amid growing uncertainty surrounding nuclear arms control agreements worldwide.

The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) expired earlier this year, lifting legally binding limits on the number of nuclear weapons held by the U.S. and Russia. Under this agreement, both nations were allowed to maintain a maximum of 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear weapons, with some restrictions on nuclear delivery systems.

Arms control experts warn that without a new agreement in place, competition between nuclear powers could intensify, leading to decreased transparency regarding their arsenals.

Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, stated that meaningful negotiations will require solid proposals and sustained diplomatic efforts.

Russia has indicated that discussions during a potential meeting between Trump and Xi could also touch on the Ukraine conflict. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials have voiced concerns that if issues related to their country’s future are discussed, Kyiv should also be included in the talks.

However, Trump’s recent comments make it clear that he aims to prioritize nuclear arms control and disarmament in any tripartite meeting.