President Donald Trump just slammed the brakes on a much-anticipated meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, sending a clear message that empty promises won’t cut it on his watch, as Fox News reports.
Trump’s decision to cancel the Budapest, Hungary, summit stems from Russia’s apparent lack of commitment to advancing peace, while new sanctions on Russian oil giants and ongoing talks with Ukraine and NATO underscore his administration’s frustration with the stagnant conflict.
This saga kicked off earlier when Trump and Putin met in Anchorage, Alaska, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on a mission to broker an end to the war in Ukraine.
Despite that face-to-face on Alaskan soil and a more recent phone call between the two leaders, the needle hasn’t moved much since their initial handshake.
Trump’s patience, never in endless supply, has visibly thinned as he’s openly grumbled about the lack of tangible steps forward, even while maintaining cordial chats with Putin.
Fast forward to a pivotal call between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, after which plans for the Hungary meeting were abruptly shelved.
Not content to just cancel a meeting, Trump’s administration dropped a hammer on Russia’s two largest oil companies with sanctions that freeze U.S.-linked assets and ban American dealings with them.
Putin called this move an “unfriendly act,” warning of potential spikes in global oil prices, though he downplayed the impact on Moscow’s economy. Well, if it’s so minor, why the grumbling?
Meanwhile, Trump has been juggling other players in this geopolitical chess game, meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte to hash out strategies for ending the conflict.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt didn’t mince words, stating, “The president wants to see action, not just talk.” That’s a polite way of saying enough with the diplomatic photo ops—deliver or step aside.
Leavitt also noted, “And I think the president is extremely motivated by the success of his peace deal in the Middle East to get things done, and he wants this war to come to an end.” Inspired by past wins, Trump isn’t here to waste time on fruitless talks.
On Ukraine’s prospects, Trump has voiced doubts about their ability to triumph over Russia, though he hasn’t entirely written them off. He’s also nixed the idea of arming Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, citing the steep training curve as a dealbreaker.
Despite the current frost, a future meeting with Putin isn’t entirely off the table, as Trump’s team remains hopeful for a productive sit-down someday. But any such gathering must promise real results, not just another round of handshakes.
For now, Trump’s focus is on ensuring his time is spent wisely, pushing for outcomes that align with his goal of ending the war—a mission he’s been vocal about since taking office. With sanctions tightening and talks ongoing, the pressure is on Russia to show it’s serious about peace, or risk further isolation on the world stage.
