Donald Trump said he did not want a “wasted meeting” after cancelling plans for face-to-face talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the war in Ukraine. Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, the US president said Moscow’s refusal to halt fighting along the current front line blocked any chance of progress.
Washington abandons Budapest summit plan
A White House official confirmed there were “no plans” for a Trump-Putin meeting “in the immediate future.” The statement came only days after Trump had announced that both leaders would meet in Budapest within two weeks.
The widening gap between US and Russian peace proposals became evident this week, killing hopes for a breakthrough summit. Trump and Putin last met in Alaska in August during a hastily arranged session that produced no agreement.
Officials said the White House decided to shelve another meeting to avoid a repeat of that failure. “The Russians wanted too much, and it became clear there would be no deal for Trump in Budapest,” a senior European diplomat told Reuters.
Phone diplomacy replaces in-person talks
A planned meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was also cancelled. The White House said both officials had a “productive” phone call instead, making face-to-face discussions unnecessary.
On Monday, Trump endorsed a ceasefire plan backed by Kyiv and European leaders to freeze the conflict along the current battle 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.”
Kremlin rejects freezing the battle line
Russia dismissed the proposal to freeze the current front line. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the idea had been raised repeatedly but that “Russia’s position remains consistent.” Moscow continues to demand the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the eastern regions.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said Russia sought a “long-term, sustainable peace,” arguing that freezing the front line would only lead to a temporary ceasefire. He said the “root causes of the conflict” must be resolved — referring to Russia’s demands for sovereignty over the Donbas and Ukraine’s demilitarisation. Kyiv and its European allies have firmly rejected those terms.
Europe and Kyiv demand genuine peace talks
European leaders joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday in a joint statement urging that peace talks begin by freezing the current front line. They accused Russia of not being “serious” about ending the war.
Zelensky called discussions over the front line “the beginning of diplomacy” and said Moscow was doing everything to block them. He added that only one issue could make Russia “pay attention” — the continued supply of long-range weapons to Ukraine.
Behind the scenes: tense calls and shifting tactics
Trump discussed a potential Budapest summit with Putin by phone one day before meeting Zelensky at the White House. Reports described the call as tense, with sources saying Trump urged Zelensky to surrender parts of the Donbas as part of a potential deal.
Zelensky has repeatedly refused to give up any Ukrainian territory, warning that Russia could use it later to launch fresh attacks.
Putin’s unexpected call with Trump last Thursday followed reports that Washington was preparing to send Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv. These weapons can reach targets deep inside Russia.
Zelensky said the missile talks forced Moscow to engage diplomatically. Despite leaving Washington without concrete promises, he called the discussions a “strong investment in diplomacy.”
