A planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has been postponed after Moscow refused to consider an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine — a setback for diplomatic efforts aimed at halting the 18-month war.
A senior White House official confirmed that there were “no plans for President Trump to meet with President Putin in the immediate future,” despite what was described as a “productive call” between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Trump had earlier announced plans for a meeting in Hungary, hoping to secure a breakthrough after previous talks in Alaska ended without progress. However, Russia’s latest communication to Washington — a confidential “non-paper” — reaffirmed its demand for full control of the Donbas region, effectively rejecting Trump’s proposal to freeze hostilities along current battle lines.
According to U.S. officials, the document made clear that Moscow will not halt fighting unless Kyiv cedes further territory. Russia currently controls all of Luhansk province and around 75% of Donetsk, which together form the Donbas.
Trump told reporters he didn’t want a “wasted meeting” but hinted at possible developments in the coming days. Meanwhile, Putin’s investment envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, claimed preparations for a summit were still ongoing.
In Europe, leaders urged Washington to maintain pressure for a ceasefire. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte travelled to Washington to discuss the issue, and according to Western officials, he planned to present Trump with a unified European position demanding that current frontlines form the basis of any future talks.
Two European diplomats told Reuters that the collapse of the planned Rubio-Lavrov meeting in Budapest suggested Washington’s reluctance to proceed with a summit until Moscow softens its stance. “The Russians wanted too much,” said one. “It became evident there would be no deal for Trump in Budapest.”
The Kremlin, however, played down the delay. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said “serious preparation” was still required before any meeting could take place. “Neither President Trump nor President Putin gave exact dates,” he said.
European powers remain anxious that Trump could meet Putin again without extracting meaningful concessions. A joint statement by Britain, France, Germany, and the EU reaffirmed their support for “President Trump’s position that the fighting should stop immediately.”
Trump’s recent closed-door meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly turned heated, with Trump pressing Zelenskyy to consider Russian demands. Still, Zelenskyy later described the meeting as “a success,” noting that Trump had publicly endorsed Kyiv’s call for a ceasefire based on existing battle lines.
The proposed Budapest venue also raised eyebrows within the EU, given Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s close ties to Putin. Poland warned it could force down Putin’s plane if he flew over its airspace under an international warrant, while Bulgaria said it would allow passage.