U.S. President Donald J. Trump has cast fresh doubt on the long-anticipated meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, signaling frustration over stalled diplomatic progress and tensions surrounding the ongoing war in Ukraine. Speaking to reporters, Trump said bluntly:
“We have to know that we’re going to make a deal. I’m not going to be wasting my time.”
The statement comes just days after reports that Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s preparatory call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov “did not go well,” leading to the indefinite postponement of the Budapest Summit between Trump and Putin.
Trump emphasized his long history of maintaining open lines with the Russian leader but expressed disappointment over the current state of relations.
“I’ve always had a great relationship with Putin, but this has been very disappointing,” Trump said. “Between Zelensky and Putin, there’s tremendous hatred.”
The U.S. administration had initially hoped the summit could lead to a framework for ending hostilities in Ukraine, but sources close to the White House say Trump is unwilling to commit to talks unless there’s a clear path to results.
Tensions between Washington and Moscow remain high following reports of renewed Russian missile strikes near Pokrovsk and Ukraine’s counteroffensive targeting Russian oil and logistics networks. Trump has repeatedly said his goal is to end the war quickly through diplomacy, but insists both sides must be ready for “real compromises.”
For now, with the summit indefinitely delayed and no sign of a shift in Moscow’s position, prospects for near-term progress appear bleak. Trump’s comments mark the clearest signal yet that the U.S. will not proceed with talks that lack tangible commitments from the Kremlin.
