Politics

Trump’s Putin Summit on Hold: Why Divergent Views on Ukraine Stalled Talks

Trump-Putin summit delayed. Pre-meeting between aides stalled over Ukraine conflict resolution disagreements.

October 21, 2025, 9:59 AM

U.S. President Trump and Russian President Putin stand on an airport tarmac in Anchorage, with Air Force One in the background.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin stand on an airfield in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025. By kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Executive Summary

President Trump’s planned second summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently on hold.

Preparatory talks between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov were postponed due to differing expectations on a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.

The path to a high-level summit is hindered by Russia’s unchanged “maximalist stance” and President Trump’s proposal for a ceasefire along the current “battle line.”

The Story So Far

The planned second summit between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has been put on hold because a preparatory meeting between US and Russian foreign affairs aides was postponed due to “differing expectations regarding a resolution to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine,” with Russia maintaining a “maximalist stance.” This diplomatic hurdle is exacerbated by President Trump’s public advocacy for a peace settlement along “the battle line, wherever it is,” a position that reportedly led to an acrimonious meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy over territorial concessions.

Why This Matters

The postponement of preparatory talks for a second summit between President Trump and President Putin signals a significant setback for immediate diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict, underscoring the deep divergence in US and Russian expectations for a peace settlement and casting considerable doubt on the near-term prospect of a high-level breakthrough.

Who Thinks What?

President Donald Trump is keen on a second summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and advocates for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Ukraine along the current battle lines to achieve a swift, peaceful resolution.

US diplomatic officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, believe a leaders’ summit is not currently viable because Russia’s position on ending the conflict in Ukraine has not moved beyond its maximalist stance, leading to the postponement of preparatory meetings.

Russia maintains a “maximalist stance” regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which is a significant barrier to diplomatic progress and the scheduling of a high-level summit.

President Donald Trump’s aspirations for a swift second summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin appear to be on hold, following reports that an anticipated pre-meeting between key foreign affairs aides has been postponed. Sources indicate that the scheduled discussions between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, intended to pave the way for a leaders’ summit in Budapest, Hungary, were tabled due to differing expectations regarding a resolution to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Summit Preparations Stalled

President Trump had announced last week, after a call with Putin, that their “High Level Advisors” would meet. He specified that Secretary Rubio would lead the initial US meetings. However, a White House official confirmed that the expected meeting between Rubio and Lavrov would not proceed this week as planned.

While the exact reasons for the delay were not immediately clear, one source familiar with the matter suggested that Rubio and Lavrov held divergent views on a potential end to the conflict in Ukraine. Following a phone call between the two diplomats, officials reportedly felt that Russia’s position had not moved beyond its maximalist stance, leading to a recommendation against the leaders’ summit progressing next week.

Diplomatic Efforts and Sticking Points

White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly stated that President Trump “has consistently worked towards finding a peaceful and diplomatic resolution to end this senseless war and to stop the killing.” She added that Trump “has courageously engaged parties on all sides and will do everything in his power to achieve peace.”

President Trump has publicly advocated for an immediate cessation of hostilities, proposing that the war should conclude along “the battle line, wherever it is.” He argued that this approach would simplify a complex situation and allow for a resolution.

Previous Engagements

This development follows President Trump’s last in-person summit with President Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025. That nearly three-hour meeting concluded without a definitive deal, though both leaders claimed progress.

More recently, President Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House on October 17, 2025. Reports indicated that this meeting turned acrimonious, particularly concerning demands for territorial concessions as part of a peace settlement.

Outlook for a Second Summit

The postponement of the pre-summit talks between Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Lavrov casts uncertainty over the timeline for a second direct meeting between President Trump and President Putin. The path forward for a high-level summit appears to hinge on a convergence of views regarding the terms for ending the conflict in Ukraine.