Politics1 min read

Trump-Xi-Putin meet with stakes beyond headlines

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The upcoming diplomatic talks follow the February expiration of the New START treaty, which removed legally binding caps on the U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear arsenals for the first time in more than five decades. Washington wants to bring Beijing into future arms frameworks, though an immediate deal is unlikely given significant differences in stockpile sizes. Discussions will also touch on critical trade items, technology transfer concerns, and Ukraine. In addition, an ongoing investigation involves allegations that Singapore-based executive Alice Huang, who is suspected of ties to Chinese intelligence, was linked to former Nvidia chief Jensen Huang.

Key points

  • Nuclear arms control will take center stage, although dramatic inventory disparities make…: Nuclear arms control will take center stage, although dramatic inventory disparities make a formal trilateral pact highly unlikely.
  • Bilateral conversations between Trump and his counterparts will target key economic mater…: Bilateral conversations between Trump and his counterparts will target key economic materials, advanced artificial intelligence chips, and the war in Ukraine.
  • Trump plans to avoid pressing Xi over the Nvidia espionage allegations, having publicly d…: Trump plans to avoid pressing Xi over the Nvidia espionage allegations, having publicly described former chief executive Jensen Huang as an honorable man.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

The proposed November 19 meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen would bring together the leaders of the world's three most consequential nuclear powers. While all three attended the 2019 G20 gathering, this would be their first trilateral summit.

Also Read: A new Yalta? Why a Trump-Xi-Putin meeting has the world on edge

The meeting offers Trump an opportunity to shift attention from mounting political pressures at home to high-stakes diplomacy abroad. His domestic challenges include a politically damaging espionage controversy involving Nvidia, a troubled air traffic episode and growing divisions within his administration.

US officials briefing the media on Trump's upcoming trip have indicated that arms control will feature prominently in the discussions. However, the President is not expected to confront Xi over the espionage allegations surrounding Nvidia and its former chief executive, Jensen Huang.

The renewed focus on nuclear weapons comes at a critical moment for global arms control. The New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms-control agreement between Washington and Moscow, expired in February, ending legally binding limits on the…

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