Russia, US, and China discuss AI and nuclear weapons

Russia, US, and China discuss AI restrictions in nuclear weapons management

World DeskUpdated November 11, 2026

Representatives of Russia, the US, and China are considering the possibility of a summit between the leaders of the three countries at the APEC summit, where the role of artificial intelligence in nuclear command will be a key topic.

As part of the preparations for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, representatives of Russia, the US, and China are discussing the use of artificial intelligence technologies in nuclear weapons command systems. According to the South China Morning Post, the focus of the agenda has shifted toward topics where consensus between the three powers is possible.

Shift in negotiation priorities

Previously, Beijing, Moscow, and Washington attempted to coordinate a meeting protocol on the sidelines of APEC. However, according to media reports, acute issues such as the Ukrainian conflict and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula have virtually ceased to be considered discussion topics. Instead, the parties are focusing on areas where reaching agreements is more likely.

Potential agreements between China, Russia, and the US could lead to commitments regarding the control of AI in nuclear arsenals. This could become part of a broader agenda on global technology governance.

Disagreements over meeting formats

Despite the discussion of key topics, the parties' positions on the format of interaction remain different. The Wall Street Journal previously reported disagreements between Beijing and Washington regarding the holding of a trilateral summit involving Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and US President Donald Trump. In particular, the Chinese side proposed a format in which each leader would simply read a pre-prepared statement.