US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has confirmed that President Donald Trump is seeking a historic three-way meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to China next week.
Speaking on Tuesday, Rubio said Washington was working to arrange the meeting in Shenzhen, although no final decision has been announced.
“We’re working to organize it and to frame it in the appropriate way. And hopefully, you know, we’ll have some news for you about that fairly soon,” Rubio said.
According to the Associated Press, Trump wants the three leaders to discuss nuclear weapons and the growing risks associated with nuclear proliferation.
Rubio said the president believes the countries should address “the status of nuclear weapons in the world” amid concerns about global security.
If confirmed, the summit would bring together the leaders of three major nuclear powers for an unprecedented diplomatic meeting.
However, foreign policy experts have questioned whether meaningful agreements could emerge because of competing interests between Washington, Moscow and Beijing.
China has traditionally been reluctant to participate in nuclear weapons negotiations, while Russia continues to challenge US support for Ukraine.
The proposed summit remains under discussion, with further details expected ahead of Trump’s planned visit to Shenzhen next week.
