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 biggest obstacle to peace.
White House shelves Budapest summit plan
A White House official confirmed there were “no plans” for a Trump-Putin meeting “in the immediate future.” The comment came only days after Trump had announced both leaders would meet in Budapest within two weeks.
Differences between Washington and Moscow over peace proposals grew sharper this week, destroying hopes for a breakthrough summit. Trump and Putin last met in Alaska in August during a hastily arranged meeting that produced no progress.
The decision to halt another round of talks appeared aimed at avoiding 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.
Talks replaced by phone diplomacy
A planned meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was cancelled this week. The White House said both officials had held a “productive” phone call instead, which made an in-person meeting unnecessary.
On Monday, Trump backed a ceasefire proposal supported by Kyiv and European leaders to freeze the fighting 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 refuses to freeze front line
Russia has firmly rejected calls to freeze the current line of contact. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the idea had been raised several times but that “Russia’s position remains consistent.” Moscow continues to demand a full withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the eastern regions.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said Moscow wanted a “long-term, sustainable peace,” arguing that freezing the front line would only create a temporary ceasefire. He said 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 have called these conditions unacceptable.
Europe and Kyiv urge first diplomatic steps
European leaders joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday in a joint statement urging that peace talks begin with freezing the current front line. They accused Russia of not being “serious” about reaching peace.
Zelensky called discussions about the front line “the beginning of diplomacy” and said Moscow was doing everything possible to avoid them. He added that only one issue could make Russia “pay attention” — the continued delivery of long-range weapons to Ukraine.
Tense exchanges deepen divide
Trump had discussed a potential Budapest summit with Putin by phone one day before meeting Zelensky at the White House. Reports described that call as tense, with sources saying Trump urged Zelensky to surrender parts of the Donbas as part of a possible deal with Russia.
Zelensky has repeatedly rejected giving up any territory still under Ukrainian control, warning that Moscow could use those areas to launch further 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 targets deep inside Russian territory.
Zelensky said the missile issue had forced Moscow to engage in talks. Despite leaving Washington without concrete commitments, he called the Tomahawk discussions a “strong investment in diplomacy.”
