Trump, Xi and Putin Plan Joint Meeting at APEC Summit

The leaders of the United States, China and Russia plan to hold an unprecedented joint meeting Thursday on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China, the White House confirmed Friday. Analysts expect the talks to be heavier in symbolism than substance. The trilateral summit with Donald Trump, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin comes amid tensions over the U.S. war with Iran, Russia's war in Ukraine, and the expired New START nuclear treaty. Trump seeks a three-way nuclear agreement, though China's arsenal is far smaller than those of the U.S. and Russia. The meeting could overshadow APEC and undercut China's free-trade messaging, while Putin may use it to posture as a superpower. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed concern about discussions on Ukraine happening behind Kyiv's back.