Plans for a summit between Donald Trump and Putin in Budapest have been suspended, as Ukraine and its European allies intensified efforts for a ceasefire that excludes any territorial concessions from Kyiv.
The White House confirmed there were “no plans” for an imminent Trump and Putin meeting, following a round of diplomacy last week that failed to deliver progress toward ending the war.
The announcement came after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke by phone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday. Lavrov reiterated that Moscow’s negotiating stance “has not changed since the understandings reached during the Alaska summit.”
The pause in summit plans marks the end of a brief diplomatic push that began with a call between Trump and Putin last Thursday. During that conversation, Putin reportedly suggested withdrawing from parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia provinces occupied by Russian forces, in exchange for full control of Donetsk a region long coveted by Moscow and viewed by Kyiv as vital to central Ukraine’s defense.
Although Trump initially appeared open to discussion, he rejected the proposal on Sunday. “They can negotiate later,” he said aboard Air Force One. “But for now, stop at the battle line. Go home. Stop fighting, stop killing people.”
Trump And Putin meeting
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his government remained “on the same page” as Western allies, though he noted Russia had become “less interested” in serious talks since Trump delayed a decision on supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Zelenskyy met Trump in Washington on Friday, a day after Trump and Putin talk with call. The White House reportedly floated the idea of Ukraine making territorial concessions a proposal Kyiv firmly rejected. Meanwhile, talks over Ukraine’s request to purchase Tomahawk missiles also stalled. Kyiv argues that such long-range missiles, with a range of around 1,000 miles, would allow it to strike key Russian military and industrial targets. Moscow has warned that such strikes would be viewed as escalatory.
On Tuesday, Zelenskyy joined leaders from the UK, France, Germany, and eight other European nations in backing Trump’s call for a ceasefire along existing frontlines. Their joint statement emphasized that “the current line of contact should be the starting point of negotiations.”
Signatories included British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Polish Premier Donald Tusk. Leaders of Finland, Norway, Denmark, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President António Costa also endorsed the declaration.
While Kyiv refuses to recognize Russia’s annexation of occupied territories, it has indicated willingness to accept a ceasefire along current lines effectively acknowledging Russia’s control of roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.
Reports later on Tuesday suggested Ukraine and its European allies were drafting a 12-point ceasefire plan, echoing a previous 20-point U.S. framework used in Gaza peace talks. According to Bloomberg, a peace board chaired by Trump would oversee the plan’s implementation.
Ukraine has also called for the return of deported children and the exchange of prisoners of war as initial steps in any ceasefire. Meanwhile, thirty Western nations led by the UK and France have agreed to form a multinational stabilization force to police Ukraine’s skies and sea lanes and to train its ground forces.
European leaders further pledged to “ramp up pressure on Russia’s economy and defense industry” until Moscow engages seriously in peace efforts. They confirmed that EU and G7 discussions were advancing on plans to channel €140 billion in frozen Russian central bank assets to Ukraine.
Under the proposed framework, the funds mostly held at Euroclear in Belgium would be structured as a loan backed by future Russian reparations for war damages. G7 members would jointly guarantee the loan to protect Belgium against potential future disputes.
