WSJ: Putin, Trump and Xi Jinping summit in doubt
A possible meeting of the leaders of Russia, the United States and China in Shenzhen has been complicated by disagreements over its format. According to the Wall Street Journal, Beijing insists on a preliminary agreement on the agenda, while Washington advocates free discussion of the issues.
One of the controversial points was nuclear disarmament. The US suggests the three discuss arms control, but China objects, pointing to its significantly smaller nuclear arsenal compared to Russia and the US.
Beijing allows a general conference on the condition that its program is agreed upon. Otherwise, the Chinese side would prefer to hold separate meetings between Xi Jinping and Putin and Trump.
The idea of negotiations arose after a phone call between Putin and Trump on October 9. Moscow has offered to discuss Ukraine, among other things, but there are no specific agreements yet, presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said. He also stressed the need for Kyiv's participation in the final settlement.
The APEC summit, on the side of which the meeting may take place, will be held on November 18-19 in Shenzhen.
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