Analysis: Why were plans for the Trump-Put meeting suspended?

The planned negotiations between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to end Russia's aggression against Ukraine have been suspended for the moment. The US president himself said he would meet with the Kremlin leader only when it is known that results can be expected. Such a summit should be productive, Trump said at the White House in Washington.

Talks and Missiles

When a journalist asked him what he knew about changing his plans and if that would affect his position on a possible shipment of American Tomahaw rockets to Ukraine, Trump replied: “I don't want a lost” meeting. Trump said he didn't want to waste time if he doesn't know what would happen.

“We have not made a decision yet”, Trump continued. “But he did not answer clearly whether he was talking about meeting Putin or sending missiles. Trump promised to provide an update on US developments and decisions within the next two days. Trump reiterated his stance, that front lines must be raised to end the fighting in Ukraine.

Ruby-Laverov Phone

US media have reported earlier that the planned meeting in Budapest would apparently not be held as planned. They cited sources from the White House after a call between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. This conversation was originally meant as part of preparations for the summit in Budapest. However, plans for a direct meeting appear to be suspended.

Trump unexpectedly announced on Thursday (16.10.2025) after a call with the Kremlin chief that he wanted to meet Putin in the Hungarian capital to discuss the war in Ukraine. The Republican initially did not specify a date, but shortly later, he said the summit is likely to take place in the next two weeks.

Kremlin Restriction Signals

What has exactly happened since it's unclear. The Kremlin has sent out brakes without giving too much clarification. “There is still a lot of homework to be done”, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, for the Russian state news agency T ASS on Monday.

The two countries' foreign ministries must address a host of open issues. Peskov also stressed that Russia's position in the conflict has not changed. Although it did not give details, it is clear that Russia claims to invade even more territories than it has yet occupied in Ukraine. For example, after the crime annexing in 2014, Moscow declared four other Ukrainian regions immediately after the start of the war in February 2022, although it still controls them only partially. Peskov's comments were an answer to Trump's statement that the current front line must be frozen and peace talks should begin.

“Non-Paper” from Moscow

According to information from Reuters news agency, Russia has presented its conditions for a peace agreement with Ukraine in an informal letter, insisting on its earlier maximum demands. In the so-called “non-paper”, sent over the weekend, the government in Moscow reiterated its request for control over the entire Donbas region and gave up the NATO troop station in Ukraine. Reuters reportedly learned it Tuesday (21.10.2025) from two US government officials and a person familiar with the situation. Moscow thus rejects Trump's proposal to freeze front lines in their current state.

Discussion about American missiles

American media, citing sources in the White House, now reported that Rubio's call with Lavrov was supposedly productive. However, neither Russia nor Ukraine are ready to engage in serious conflict peace talks, for example, said NBC News. It is not clear how concrete Russia and the US's plans were for the meeting when Trump announced it following his call with Putin.

The call took place just one day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski visited the White House, and this conversation with Putin has probably influenced the U.S. missile dispatch or not.

Ukraine wants to take on a more offensive role in war because these weapons can strike deep into Russia. But Trump remained unclear, he made no decision, but insisted that both sides should end the war. /DW