US President Donald Trump's hopes for a quick summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Budapest could be dashed after a preparatory meeting between the two heads of state's top foreign policy aides was postponed this week, Reuters and CNN reported.
Trump has repeatedly said he wants peace in Ukraine, although he notes that achieving it is harder than a ceasefire in Gaza or the brief conflict between India and Pakistan. After his last conversation with Putin, he announced that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov would meet to discuss the details.
However, a White House official, who requested anonymity, reported that the meeting had been postponed for the time being, the reason being the two sides' differing expectations regarding a possible end to the war.
The CNN television channel points out that it is still unclear how this will affect the planned Trump-Putin summit in Budapest - a city with deep historical significance for Kiev and Moscow. Rubio and Lavrov had a phone call yesterday, which the Russian Foreign Ministry described as “constructive“.
Deputy State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott, however, did not use the word “constructive“. He noted that the secretary emphasized the importance of the upcoming engagements as an opportunity for Moscow and Washington to work toward a lasting resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war, in line with Trump's vision.
The two are expected to speak again by phone later this week. The meeting between Rubio and Lavrov was seen as a key preparation for the second Trump-Putin summit this year. Last Thursday, the leaders agreed by phone to meet soon in the Hungarian capital.
Putin, who ordered the invasion of Russian troops into Ukraine in February 2022, has repeatedly stated his readiness for peace talks and set conditions for ending the war.
Trump and Putin already met on August 15 at a Cold War-era air base in Anchorage, Alaska, but American and Russian sources say there are significant differences over how to end the conflict.
President Trump has said he believes peace is possible, while at the same time warning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he does not hold all the cards, describing Russia as a “paper tiger“ that has failed to subdue Ukraine despite its vast armed forces.