The scheduled meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Hungary has been called off, raising concerns about the potential for World War 3 escalation. The planned talks aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine have been postponed, with no specific date set for the discussions. This decision came after a conversation between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned the need for thorough preparation before the meeting could take place.
This delay adds to a series of unsuccessful attempts by Trump to mediate the Ukraine crisis, which he previously claimed could be swiftly resolved. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders have accused Putin of prolonging the conflict to advance his military agenda amid diplomatic negotiations.
Zelensky pointed out that Putin only engaged in diplomacy and contacted Trump when there was a possibility of the US providing Ukraine with advanced Tomahawk missiles. Stressing the urgency to end the war, he emphasized that pressure is essential for attaining peace.
Recently, Trump seemed to change his stance regarding Ukraine’s territorial concessions for peace, initially advocating for such concessions but later urging both Russia and Kyiv to maintain their current positions. Ukrainian and European leaders are striving to align Trump’s stance, endorsing his call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and using the current front line as the basis for negotiations.
Furthermore, discussions on imposing additional economic sanctions on Russia are expected to be a key topic at an upcoming EU summit in Brussels.