President Donald Trump has put his much-hyped meeting with Vladimir Putin on ice, bluntly stating he refuses to engage in a “wasted meeting” that fails to deliver real progress on ending the Ukraine war. The abrupt halt comes just days after Trump announced plans for a Budapest summit, following a lengthy October 16 phone call with the Russian leader. A senior White House official confirmed Tuesday that no immediate meeting is scheduled, citing a lack of substantive movement after Monday’s call between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The decision reflects growing frustration in Washington that Moscow is using diplomacy as a delay tactic while advancing on the battlefield, particularly in Donbas and Kharkiv.
European allies breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Leaders from the UK, France, Germany, and others had openly opposed any deal forcing Ukraine to cede territory—especially the resource-rich Donbas region—as a price for peace. In a joint statement, they backed Trump’s recent call for an immediate halt to fighting along current lines but insisted no land should be surrendered. They also pledged to push forward with using $300 billion in frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s defense, despite legal concerns. The move, set for discussion at Thursday’s EU summit in Brussels, aims to tighten economic pressure on Moscow’s war machine.
From Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the pause, arguing that only sustained military and diplomatic leverage will force Russia to negotiate seriously. He pointed to Putin’s sudden openness to talks when U.S. Tomahawk missiles were on the table, only for Moscow to backtrack once the threat eased. “Pressure leads to peace,” Zelensky posted on Telegram, as Ukraine braces for winter amid intensified Russian strikes on energy infrastructure. Trump has wavered on the missiles but hinted Monday that Ukraine could still “defeat” Russia—though he now doubts a full victory is likely.
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The Kremlin showed no urgency. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said “serious preparation” is required before any summit, while Lavrov rejected a ceasefire, claiming it contradicts the vague framework discussed in Alaska in August. Russia currently occupies about one-fifth of Ukraine and views frozen front lines as a strategic advantage for future operations. The choice of Budapest as a venue had already raised eyebrows due to Hungary’s pro-Russia stance under Viktor Orban.
Trump will meet NATO chief Mark Rutte on Wednesday, with Ukraine aid coordination likely high on the agenda. Friday’s London meeting of the 35-nation Coalition of the Willing will further align Western support. As Trump’s Ukraine strategy shifts weekly—from territorial concessions to hardline pressure—the postponed Putin summit underscores a core tension: can deal-making alone end a war rooted in territorial conquest, or must military reality force Moscow’s hand first? For now, the pause buys time—but risks prolonging a brutal stalemate.
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