President Donald Trump said Tuesday his plan for a swift meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin was on hold because he doesn't want it to be a “waste of time.” It was the latest twist in Trump's effort to resolve the war in Ukraine. Trump had announced last week that he and Putin would meet soon in Hungary to try to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. But Putin has been unwilling to consider concessions. Moscow has long demanded that Ukraine agree to cede more territory before any ceasefire. Trump, asked by reporters about the prospect for a summit, said he did not want to have a "wasted meeting" but suggested there could be more developments and that "we'll be notifying you over the next two days" about them.
Trump asked if meeting with Putin ‘CANCELED’
— RT (@RT_com) October 21, 2025
‘I don’t want to have a WASTED meeting’
‘Haven’t made a determination’ https://t.co/Y8XDbTdcqk pic.twitter.com/AZFYFBS7Y0
The decision to hold off on the meeting in Budapest, Hungary, which Trump had announced last week, was made following a call Monday between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Lavrov made clear Tuesday that Russia opposes a ceasefire, Russian state news agencies reported. He told journalists in Moscow that it would go against what the two presidents agreed upon in Alaska. Trump had gone into the meeting hoping to get Russia to stop the fighting, but he was rebuffed by Putin, who has pushed for a comprehensive settlement to end the war.Russia occupies about one fifth of Ukraine, but carving up their country in return for peace is unacceptable to Kyiv officials.Lavrov said the place and the timing of the next Trump-Putin summit was less important than the substance of implementing the understandings reached in Alaska.
The Kremlin said there was no clear date and that "serious preparation" for a summit was needed, which may take time. Trump's stance on the war has shifted throughout the year. He initially focused on pressuring Ukraine to make concessions, but then grew frustrated with Putin's intransigence. Trump often complains that he thought his good relationship with his Russian counterpart would have made it easier to end the war.
Newsinc24 Team





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