The planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest has been unexpectedly canceled. The summit was originally intended to provide an opportunity to discuss a possible solution to the war in Ukraine. However, as reported by USA Today, a White House spokesperson stated that a “productive conversation” between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had made the meeting unnecessary.

Trump himself justified the cancellation by saying that “it didn’t look like we were going to get where we needed to go.” Putin, on the other hand, remained open to a meeting, as he emphasized on Russian state television.

Budapest as a controversial venue

The choice of Budapest as the venue for the meeting had been controversial from the outset. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, one of the few EU politicians who maintains close ties with Russia, had described the Hungarian capital as “the only suitable place” for such talks. However, as Deutsche Welle reports, this decision was met with criticism in Europe. Countries such as Lithuania and Ireland in particular expressed concerns, as Putin had not been welcomed on EU soil since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.

In a joint statement, the EU emphasized that it continues to stand united behind Ukraine and calls on Russia to immediately cease hostilities.

New sanctions against Russia

Parallel to the cancellation of the meeting, the US announced new sanctions against Russia. According to BR24, the two largest Russian oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, were subjected to comprehensive punitive measures. These include, among other things, the freezing of assets in the US and a ban on economic interactions with the companies concerned. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the measures were aimed at increasing pressure on the Kremlin to end the war in Ukraine.

The EU also tightened its sanctions. Imports of Russian liquefied natural gas are to be completely phased out by 2027. Moscow responded with sharp criticism and threatened countermeasures.

Trump and Zelensky: Disagreement in the White House

Shortly after the summit was canceled, Trump received Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House. According to Reuters, the meeting was tense. Trump reportedly urged Zelensky to accept Russian demands, but Zelensky refused. Zelensky nevertheless described the meeting as a success, as Trump publicly supported a ceasefire.

Sources: USA Today, Deutsche Welle, BR24, Reuters

Credits: APA