On Tuesday, the White House said the planned meeting in Budapest, announced by Trump last week after a two-hour phone call with Putin, will not come to fruition — after Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday.
— Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Lavrov had a fruitful conversation, a White House official told us on condition of anonymity. — Therefore, an additional personal meeting between the Secretary and the Minister of Foreign Affairs is not necessary there are no plans for President Trump to meet with President Putin in the near future.
A quick change in plans for the next summit between Trump and Putin, just two months after their meeting in Alaska, results from Russia's renewed refusal giving up their maximalist positions on what it would take to stop the war in Ukraine.
At a news conference in Moscow on Tuesday, Lavrov said he had informed Rubio that Russia's position — that a peace agreement must come before a ceasefire in the war with Ukraine — had not changed.
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— I believe that U.S. officials have concluded that Russia's position has remained largely unchanged over time and remains within the limits of her initial maximalist demands said Lavrov. — Russia has not changed its position compared to the understanding and prolonged negotiations between Putin and Trump in Alaska.
Russia has long called for eliminating the “root causes” of the war in Ukraine, claiming that its significant rapprochement with Europe and its desire to join NATO pose an existential threat to Russia. Putin questioned the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and called for new elections in Ukraine, called for an end to the alleged persecution of the Russian-speaking population and demanded that Ukraine not join NATO. He often embellishes his speeches about Ukraine with baseless claims that the country is full of “Nazis.”
— We remain completely committed to this formula and I confirmed this yesterday in a conversation with Mark Rubio, Lavrov said. He also asked how Putin would fly to Budapesttaking into account Poland's declaration to execute an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court if Putin flies into its airspace.
Trump surprised his European partners
Trump left the Alaska meeting without any concessions from the Russian leader, and his claim that Putin wanted to make peace has been undermined by Russia's refusal to engage in direct talks with Ukraine and continued air attacks on Ukrainian cities.
After Thursday's phone call with Putin, Trump again announced that the two leaders had made “great progress” and that they planned to meet in Budapest. A day later, Trump hosted Zelensky at the White House, but refused to comply with his request for American Tomahawk missiles to strike deep into Russia. Instead pressured Ukraine to give up more territory in exchange for a peace agreement largely on Putin's terms.
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky in front of the entrance to the White House. Washington, October 17, 2025PAP/EPA/Shawn Thew/PAP
On Tuesday, Lavrov told reporters that Russia rejects “signals coming from Washington” about the desire to end the war along the current battle lines, which Trump has advocated in recent days.
— The most important thing is not the place or the time frame, but how we will proceed in these matters, Lavrov said. — Goals we have agreed on and on which we have achieved broad agreement in Anchorage.
The president's diplomatic breakthrough in the Middle East earlier this month strengthened his confidence in his peacekeeping abilities and, he and his advisers hoped, was intended to give new impetus to negotiations to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. However, the Gaza peace agreement is being tested by an outbreak of new violence between Israel and Hamas. And Putin continues to make clear that, despite his willingness to cooperate with the White House, Russia has no interest in ending the war.
Trump, who worked closely with Arab and Muslim partners to achieve a ceasefire in the Middle East, was somewhat willing to coordinate his efforts for peace in Ukraine with European partners. But many were surprised by his announcement last week that he and Putin had agreed to meet again.
One EU official, whom we granted anonymity so that he could speak honestly, recalls the theory according to which Donald Trump sometimes publicly repeats the opinion of the last person he spoke to. But the lack of any public criticism from most European leaders about Trump's proposed summit also showed they understood how to deal with the American president.
– I would expect a visit [europejskich przywódców] in Washington and other coordination will take place very soon – says our interlocutor. Other EU officials were also frustrated by Trump's choice of location for the meeting in Budapest — not only because of its tragic symbolism for Ukraine, but also because Hungary is a member of the EU.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
