WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump said Sunday he expects to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin during an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit in China next week, with discussions likely to include ending the war in Iran and nuclear disarmament.
Trump made the remarks to reporters before departing Florida for Washington, saying he would travel to the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen for the November 18-19 summit.
"One of the meetings, I think, will be with President Putin and President Xi, and that'll be interesting," Trump said, adding that the discussions would cover several international issues.
"We're talking a lot of things, including denuclearization, but we'll be talking a lot of things. We're trying to end the war in Iran," he added.
The anticipated gathering could bring together the leaders of the world's three largest nuclear powers at a time of heightened international tensions, with conflicts in the Middle East and Europe continuing to dominate diplomatic efforts.
Trump did not provide further details about the proposed meeting or clarify whether it would be a formal trilateral session involving all three leaders.
His comments follow earlier indications that Washington was considering a broader arms-control initiative involving Moscow and Beijing.
In October, Trump said he was open to three-way arms-control negotiations with Xi and Putin, suggesting that discussions should focus on reducing nuclear weapons and preventing further escalation of global security tensions.
The prospect of trilateral talks has also drawn attention because of Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, which has strained relations between Moscow and Western governments since the Russian invasion in February 2022.
The Wall Street Journal subsequently reported that Putin had proposed using a trilateral meeting with Trump and Xi to discuss ways of ending the conflict in Ukraine.
Trump has repeatedly expressed confidence that he could negotiate an agreement to end the war, although previous efforts to secure a settlement have yet to produce a breakthrough.
In an interview with CBS's 60 Minutes, Trump said he believed an agreement to end the fighting between Russia and Ukraine was within reach.
"I believe we're very close to making a deal," he said, suggesting that any settlement would leave Ukraine in a "little bit different shape".
He did not elaborate on what territorial, political or security arrangements might form part of such an agreement.
The comments come as Trump seeks to position his administration as a central player in efforts to resolve major international conflicts, while pursuing diplomatic engagement with both Moscow and Beijing.
A meeting involving Trump, Xi and Putin would carry considerable diplomatic significance, particularly as Washington seeks to address nuclear weapons, the Iran conflict and the future of the war in Ukraine.
However, it remains unclear whether the three leaders will hold a joint meeting during the APEC summit or whether the discussions will take place separately on the sidelines of the gathering.
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