Donald Trump said he did not want a “wasted meeting” after plans for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the war in Ukraine were suspended. Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, the US president said Moscow’s refusal to stop fighting along the current front line remained the main roadblock to progress.
White House freezes plans for Budapest summit
A White House official confirmed there were “no plans” for a Trump-Putin meeting “in the immediate future.” That statement came only days after Trump had announced both leaders would meet in Budapest within two weeks.
Differences between Washington and Moscow over how to achieve peace became increasingly clear this week, killing hopes for a breakthrough summit. Trump and Putin last met in Alaska in August during a hastily arranged meeting that produced no results.
The decision to halt a new summit appeared intended to avoid another unproductive event. “The Russians wanted too much, and it became clear there would be no deal for Trump in Budapest,” a senior European diplomat told Reuters.
Diplomacy by phone replaces face-to-face talks
A meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had been scheduled for this week. The White House later said the two had held a “productive” phone call, making an in-person meeting unnecessary.
On Monday, Trump supported a ceasefire proposal backed by Kyiv and European leaders to freeze the conflict along the current front line. “Let it be cut the way it is,” Trump said. “Cut and stop at the battle line. Go home. Stop fighting, stop killing people.”
Moscow rejects freeze on the front line
Russia has repeatedly refused to freeze the existing line of contact. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the idea had been raised several times but that “Russia’s position remains consistent.” Moscow still insists that Ukrainian troops withdraw completely from the eastern regions.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said Moscow wanted a “long-term, sustainable peace,” arguing that a frozen front line would only bring a temporary ceasefire. He added that the “root causes of the conflict” must be resolved, referring to demands for recognition of Russian sovereignty over the Donbas and Ukraine’s demilitarisation. Kyiv and European leaders see these as unacceptable terms.
Europe and Kyiv push for diplomatic start
European leaders joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday in a joint statement urging that any peace talks begin with freezing the current front line. They accused Russia of not being “serious” about peace.
Zelensky called front-line discussions “the beginning of diplomacy” and said Moscow was doing everything to avoid them. He added that only one issue could make Russia “pay attention” — the continued supply of long-range weapons to Ukraine.
Tense calls deepen divisions
Trump had discussed a possible Budapest summit with Putin by phone one day before meeting Zelensky at the White House. Reports described the conversation as tense, with sources claiming Trump urged Zelensky to give up parts of the Donbas as part of a possible deal with Russia.
Zelensky has repeatedly rejected surrendering any territory still under Ukrainian control, warning that Moscow could use those areas to launch new attacks.
Putin’s unexpected call with Trump last Thursday came amid reports that Washington planned to send Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. These weapons can strike deep inside Russian territory.
Zelensky said the missile issue had pushed Moscow to engage in talks. Despite leaving Washington without concrete commitments, he called the Tomahawk discussions a “strong investment in diplomacy.”
