‘Not Wasting My Time’: Trump Says No Meeting With Putin Without Ukraine Peace Deal

Last Updated:October 26, 2025, 09:28 IST

Trump made it clear that future dialogue would depend on Russia showing a genuine willingness to compromise.

US President Donald Trump with Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Image: Reuters/File)

US President Donald Trump has cancelled his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he would not “waste time" on talks unless there was a genuine possibility of achieving peace in Ukraine. The decision marks a striking turnaround, coming less than a week after Trump had announced plans for an in-person summit in Budapest following what he described as a “positive" phone call with Putin.

However, five days later, the White House confirmed that the meeting had been called off. In its place, Trump unveiled new sanctions, the first of his second term, targeting Moscow. Senior US officials told reporters that the move followed a realisation that Putin’s stance on Ukraine remained largely unchanged since their last meeting at a US air base in Alaska.

What Trump said on meeting with Putin?

Speaking to reporters, Trump made it clear that future dialogue would depend on Russia showing a genuine willingness to compromise. “We have to know that we’re going to make a deal. I’m not going to be wasting my time," he said. While reaffirming that he had a “great relationship" with Putin, Trump expressed disappointment over the lack of progress.

“I thought this would have gone long before peace in the Middle East," he added, referencing earlier diplomatic efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan. “Putin told me on the phone, ‘Boy, that was amazing,’ because everybody tried to get that done, and they couldn’t. I got it done."

No breakthrough on Russia-Ukraine war

Trump suggested he had underestimated the depth of mistrust between Russia and Ukraine. “If you look at India and Pakistan, I thought those deals were more difficult. But it didn’t work out that way. There’s a lot of hatred between the two, between Zelensky and Putin, there’s tremendous hatred," he said.

While Moscow condemned the cancellation as “unhelpful," US allies in Europe welcomed the tougher line, viewing it as a sign that Washington intends to maintain pressure on the Kremlin.

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