US Administration Denies Planned Meeting Between Trump and Putin Amid Shifting Policies on Ukraine

The U.S. administration has refuted claims from various international newspapers regarding a short-term meeting between former President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump had initially announced a prospective meeting following a recent phone call with Putin, during which he characterized the discussion as positive and productive. He mentioned that they would convene in Budapest, Hungary, although he did not specify a date for the meeting. On Tuesday morning, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov echoed this sentiment, confirming that no specific dates for the proposed meeting had been established by either Trump or Putin. Additionally, a preliminary meeting that was supposed to occur in the coming days between U.S. Secretary of State Marc Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, which Trump had mentioned the previous Thursday, has also been called off. A White House official informed the BBC that the two officials had spoken on the phone, rendering the in-person meeting unnecessary. The reasons behind these abrupt changes remain unclear. In recent months, Trump has exhibited a fluctuating stance on Ukraine, having previously maintained a close rapport with Putin. However, he has demonstrated growing impatience with Putin's reluctance to engage in negotiations. At one point, Trump indicated that Ukraine could reclaim all territories currently under occupation. Yet, after last week's phone call with Putin and a subsequent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, Trump shifted his position, suggesting that Ukraine should surrender the entire Donbas region to Russia and that the borders of the two nations should be realigned to reflect the current front line. The evolving dynamics between the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine highlight the complexities of international relations, particularly in the context of Trump's unpredictable foreign policy approach. As these developments continue to unfold, the implications for diplomacy and regional stability remain to be seen. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2