Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have called off their planned meeting in Hungary, raising concerns about escalating tensions towards a potential World War 3 scenario. The proposed discussions aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine were postponed, with no specific date set for the talks in Budapest.
The decision to delay the meeting was taken after a conversation between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that further preparation was deemed necessary before the leaders could convene, emphasizing the importance of thorough groundwork.
This setback in arranging the meeting adds to a series of unsuccessful attempts by Trump to mediate the Ukrainian conflict, which he previously suggested could be swiftly resolved in a single day. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders have accused Putin of prolonging the crisis to advance his military agenda during diplomatic negotiations.
Zelensky highlighted Putin’s sudden return to diplomacy and outreach to Trump, coinciding with the threat of the US potentially supplying Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. Stressing the urgency for peace, Zelensky urged for sustained pressure to end the prolonged conflict.
Recent developments saw Trump initially adjusting his stance on territorial concessions by Ukraine, only to later signal a renewed call for both Russia and Kyiv to halt their military actions. Ukrainian and European leaders expressed solidarity with Trump’s push for an immediate ceasefire and endorsed using the current contact line as a basis for future negotiations.
Further deliberations on imposing additional economic sanctions on Russia are anticipated at an upcoming EU summit in Brussels, scheduled for Thursday.