A possible consensus between Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could reduce the risk of a global military conflict, according to military analyst Yuri Knutov.

Knutov said the idea of holding a trilateral meeting between the three leaders appears promising. However, he stressed that the practical value of such a format would depend on whether the participants are prepared to follow through on any agreements they reach.

In an interview with News.ru, the analyst said a meeting could become especially significant if the leaders managed to reach understandings on spheres of influence and develop preliminary proposals that could later form the basis for negotiations. In his view, such progress could move the world further away from the threat of a third world war.

At the same time, Knutov said it remains difficult to predict whether such a meeting will take place at all. He identified differences over nuclear arms limitations as one of the main obstacles.

According to the analyst, Trump is interested in discussing controls on nuclear arsenals, while China is not yet prepared to enter such agreements.

Earlier, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin could meet Trump at the APEC summit in China if a suitable opportunity arises. The summit is scheduled for November 18–19.