The leaders of the US, China and Russia plan to meet on Thursday on the sidelines of the APEC summit in the Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen. The White House confirmed plans on Friday for the three-way meeting of Donald Trump, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, which would bring together the heads of the world's largest nuclear powers for the first time.

Trump says he wants to discuss the US war with Iran and is seeking a three-way agreement on nuclear arsenals. China has so far shown little interest in a nuclear deal. Observers therefore expect few breakthroughs and see more symbolism than substance in the meeting.

Xi could use the moment to showcase China's growing influence and standing. For Putin, it is a coveted opportunity to present himself as a superpower on a par with Washington and Beijing. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky voiced concern that the meeting could serve as a platform for discussing a possible solution for Ukraine behind Kyiv's back.

Key points:

• The leaders of the US, China and Russia plan to meet on Thursday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in China's tech hub of Shenzhen.
• Expectations of major breakthroughs in the talks are low; they are likely to contain more symbolism than substance.
• The White House confirmed on Friday the plans for the three-way summit involving Donald Trump, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin.

Source: NDTV — Top Stories (English)