Plans for a high-profile meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have been placed on hold, the White House confirmed Monday. The decision came after a phone call between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, which officials described as “productive” but ultimately led both sides to conclude that further meetings were “not necessary at this time.”
The planned Trump-Putin summit, which Trump had promised would take place “within two weeks,” was intended to focus on ending the ongoing war in Ukraine. The White House had been preparing for the meeting to take place in Hungary, a neutral European venue both leaders had reportedly agreed upon.
Background and Diplomatic Context
The meeting had been widely viewed as Trump’s latest attempt to make good on his campaign promise to end the war “quickly” through direct diplomacy. The president has repeatedly said that personal engagement between Washington, Moscow, and Kyiv could achieve what years of Western sanctions and military aid have not — a negotiated peace.
However, despite multiple rounds of talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and one prior meeting with Putin earlier this year, no peace agreement has materialized.
Last week, Trump hosted Zelenskyy at the White House, where discussions reportedly centered on Ukraine’s request for long-range U.S. Tomahawk missiles. Trump initially appeared open to the idea but later reversed course, calling such a move “an unnecessary escalation.”
Why the Meeting Collapsed
According to senior administration officials, the decision to pause the Putin meeting stemmed from “significant progress” made during the Rubio-Lavrov call. “Both sides agreed that immediate, in-person talks were not required to continue diplomatic efforts,” a White House spokesperson said.
Privately, however, aides acknowledged that the two leaders remain far apart on key terms. Moscow has insisted on keeping control of occupied Ukrainian territories, while Kyiv continues to demand a complete withdrawal of Russian forces before any ceasefire.
International Reaction
Following his Washington visit, Zelenskyy met with European leaders in Warsaw, where 11 heads of state signed a joint statement expressing “strong support” for Trump’s position that fighting should “stop immediately.”
But optimism was tempered by skepticism in Moscow. Lavrov said Russia would only consider a “long-term, sustainable peace,” hinting that the Kremlin remains unwilling to agree to a full military withdrawal.
Zelenskyy himself also struck a cautious tone, emphasizing that “peace cannot come at the cost of Ukraine’s sovereignty.”
War on the Ground
While diplomatic talks continue, the fighting has shown little sign of slowing. Over the weekend, Ukrainian drones struck a Russian gas facility, sparking a large fire and damaging production infrastructure. The attack was the latest in a string of Ukrainian strikes targeting Russia’s energy sector, as Kyiv seeks to pressure Moscow both militarily and economically.
Looking Ahead
Trump’s campaign-style pledge to end the war “on day one” of his presidency remains unfulfilled nearly a year into his term. With no concrete peace plan in place and both sides digging in, the administration faces growing pressure — both domestically and internationally — to deliver results.
