According to a White House official, there are currently no plans for US President Donald Trump to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the immediate future. This announcement comes after Trump's remarks last Thursday, where he indicated that he and Putin would engage in talks in Budapest within two weeks to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine.
A preparatory meeting that was scheduled between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was supposed to take place this week. However, the White House has since stated that the two had a productive phone call, making the meeting unnecessary. The White House did not elaborate on the reasons behind postponing the talks, but significant differences between US proposals and Russia's preconditions for peace have become increasingly evident, which appear to have diminished the likelihood of a summit between the two leaders.
Just a day before discussing a potential Budapest summit with Putin, Trump met with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. Reports suggest that this meeting was tumultuous, with sources indicating that Trump pressured Zelensky to concede large territories in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, collectively known as the Donbas, as part of a potential agreement with Russia. However, Zelensky has consistently maintained that Ukraine cannot relinquish the territories it currently holds, arguing that doing so could provide Russia with a strategic foothold for future attacks.
On Monday, Trump endorsed a ceasefire proposal supported by Kyiv and European leaders, advocating for a cessation of hostilities along the current front line. "Let it be cut the way it is," Trump stated. "I said: cut and stop at the battle line. Go home. Stop fighting, stop killing people." However, Russia has repeatedly resisted the idea of freezing the current line of contact. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted that this concept had been presented to Russia multiple times, but their stance remains unchanged, emphasizing the necessity of a complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the disputed eastern regions.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov echoed this sentiment on Tuesday, asserting that Moscow seeks long-term, sustainable peace, implying that merely freezing the front line would only result in a temporary ceasefire. "The root causes of the conflict need to be addressed," Lavrov said, alluding to a series of demands from Russia, including the recognition of full Russian sovereignty over the Donbas and the demilitarization of Ukraine—conditions that are non-negotiable for Kyiv and its European allies.
Earlier on Tuesday, European leaders, alongside Zelensky, released a statement asserting that any discussions aimed at ending the war in Ukraine should commence with the proposal to freeze the current front line, while accusing Russia of not demonstrating a genuine commitment to peace.
The White House's decision to postpone a second meeting between Trump and Putin may stem from a desire to avoid a repeat of their previous encounter in Alaska last August, which yielded no substantial outcomes. A senior European diplomat remarked, "I guess the Russians wanted too much, and it became evident for the Americans that there will be no deal for Trump in Budapest," indicating a growing realization of the complexities involved.
Zelensky emphasized that discussions regarding the front line represent the initial steps in a diplomatic process, one that Russia seems intent on evading. He pointed out that the only issue likely to capture Moscow's attention was the supply of long-range weapons to Ukraine, suggesting that this could shift the dynamics of the dialogue.
Trump's unscheduled phone call with Putin last Thursday coincided with speculation that the US was preparing to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, which could strike deep into Russian territory. Zelensky remarked that the discussions surrounding the Tomahawk missile issue had been a significant factor in prompting Russia to engage in dialogue, stating that it had proven to be a strong investment in diplomacy.
