Washington, D.C., October 2025 — Former U.S. President Donald Trump said he decided not to move forward with a planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, describing it as unnecessary given the lack of progress toward a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, Trump said he did not want “a wasted meeting,” after plans for talks in Budapest were suspended. A White House official confirmed there were “no immediate plans” for a Trump-Putin meeting, days after Trump had said the two leaders would meet within two weeks.
Diplomatic sources said the key disagreement remains Russia’s refusal to stop fighting along the current front line, a sticking point that has widened the gap between the U.S. and Russian positions on a potential peace framework.
“The Russians wanted too much, and it became clear to Washington that there was no deal for Trump in Budapest,” a senior European diplomat said.
A preparatory meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, scheduled for this week, was also canceled. Officials said both sides held a “productive phone conversation” and concluded that an in-person meeting was not needed.
On Monday, Trump publicly supported a ceasefire proposal backed by Kyiv and European leaders that would freeze the conflict along current battle lines.
“Let it be cut the way it is,” Trump said. “Stop fighting, stop killing people.”
The Kremlin dismissed the proposal, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reaffirming that Russia’s position remains unchanged. Moscow continues to demand the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from eastern territories and recognition of Russian control over the Donbas region.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said any attempt to freeze the front line would only create a temporary pause, not a lasting peace, insisting that the “root causes of the conflict” must be resolved.
European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky released a joint statement urging Russia to engage seriously in peace efforts. Zelensky described the talks about the front line as “the beginning of diplomacy,” accusing Moscow of trying to avoid meaningful negotiation.
Trump had earlier spoken with Putin by phone to discuss the Budapest summit and later met with Zelensky in Washington. Reports suggested tensions during that meeting, with Trump allegedly pressing Zelensky to make territorial concessions in Donetsk and Luhansk — an idea Kyiv has firmly rejected.
Putin’s call to Trump came amid speculation that the U.S. was preparing to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, capable of reaching deep into Russian territory. Zelensky said that the missile discussions had compelled Moscow to “pay attention,” calling it “a strong investment in diplomacy.”
The decision to postpone the Trump-Putin meeting marks another setback in diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the war, as both sides remain divided over territorial and security guarantees in eastern Ukraine.
