- Trump expressed frustration over Moscow’s refusal to halt fighting
- The current pause in talks may be a strategic move by the White House
- Trump pressured Zelensky to accept territorial losses in Donbas
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has put a proposed meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on hold, saying he didn’t want a “wasted meeting” amid deadlock over the war in Ukraine.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that Trump expressed frustration over Moscow’s refusal to halt fighting along the current front line, a key demand backed by Ukraine and European allies.
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While Trump had previously announced plans to meet Putin in Budapest within two weeks, a White House official clarified there were “no immediate plans” for such talks. The announcement follows increasing divergence between U.S. and Russian peace proposals, raising doubts about the possibility of a summit.
Trump and Putin last met in August in Alaska, but the meeting ended without meaningful outcomes. According to diplomats, the current pause in talks may be a strategic move by the White House to avoid a repeat.
A scheduled meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was also canceled, though officials described their phone call as “productive.”
On Monday, Trump endorsed a ceasefire plan to freeze the conflict at the existing front line, saying, “Stop fighting, stop killing people.” However, Russia rejected the idea, insisting on full Ukrainian withdrawal from eastern regions and long-term security guarantees.
Lavrov argued that only addressing the “root causes”—including Russia’s control over Donbas and Ukraine’s demilitarisation—could lead to sustainable peace.
Meanwhile, European leaders and President Zelensky issued a joint statement supporting the ceasefire proposal and criticized Moscow for lacking seriousness about peace. Zelensky insisted that any concessions on territory would undermine Ukraine’s security and future.
Reports suggest Trump pressured Zelensky to accept territorial losses in Donbas, though Ukraine remains firm on holding its ground. Tensions have risen amid speculation over U.S. plans to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv, a move that reportedly prompted Russia to re-engage diplomatically.
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