US President Donald Trump wants to hold a trilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to discuss nuclear weapons and nuclear proliferation, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said following a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Paris.
"The president wants this meeting to happen, if possible. We believe it is feasible. Among the issues he believes should be discussed is the state of nuclear weapons in the world," Rubio said.
He stressed that Trump considers nuclear proliferation extremely dangerous. According to Rubio, Washington is working to arrange the meeting, although no official confirmation has been announced.
The three leaders could potentially meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, scheduled for November 18–19 in Shenzhen, China.
However, according to The Wall Street Journal, Washington and Beijing remain divided over the format and agenda of a possible meeting. China is pushing for prearranged statements, while the US prefers open discussions between the leaders.
A key issue is the future of nuclear arms control following the expiration of the New START treaty between the United States and Russia in February. Washington has insisted that China should also be included in future agreements limiting nuclear arsenals. | BGNES