Trump-Putin meeting cancelled: US blames Russia’s ‘maximalist demands’

The planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin was cancelled after Moscow sent a formal memo outlining what officials called “maximalist” demands to end the war in Ukraine, reported Reuters, citing the Financial Times.

The meeting was expected to take place in Budapest next month as part of renewed diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions between Washington and Moscow. However, US officials reportedly cancelled the summit after reviewing Russia’s proposals, which included sweeping concessions on sanctions and recognition of its territorial claims.

The White House has not yet issued an official statement on the decision.

Doubts had already surfaced earlier this week when a US official said there were “no plans” for a meeting between Trump and Putin “in the immediate future.”

In recent days, Trump admitted that he felt “frustrated” with Putin, a shift from his earlier claim that his “personal chemistry” with the Russian leader would help him end the war within a day of returning to the White House.

Last week, Trump also said that a high-level summit with Putin was unlikely anytime soon, even though a senior Kremlin official had met with US representatives in Florida to discuss possible steps toward ending the war in Ukraine, adding that “he doesn’t want to waste his time.”

Meanwhile, in a separate development, Trump directed the Department of War to begin nuclear weapons testing, saying it was in response to similar actions by “other countries.” He said the process would begin immediately and claimed that the United States has “more nuclear weapons than any other country” because of upgrades made during his first term.

The move followed Russia’s recent tests of two nuclear powered strategic weapons, the Burevestnik cruise missile and the Poseidon underwater drone, which Moscow says can carry nuclear warheads across long distances. Trump called the tests “inappropriate” and urged Putin to “end the war in Ukraine” instead of testing missiles.