By Shumaila Aslam
Bureau Chief Pakistan
Scandinavian News Agency
Finland
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he has canceled his planned summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, saying he did not want to engage in a โwasted meetingโ over the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The announcement marks a sharp reversal from Trumpโs earlier statement just days ago, when he revealed plans to meet Putin within two weeks, following what he described as a โproductiveโ phone conversation aimed at ending Russiaโs war.
While Trump did not elaborate on specific reasons for scrapping the meeting, analysts suggest that growing tensions over Russiaโs continued aggression in Ukraine and U.S. domestic pressure may have influenced his decision.
White House officials have yet to confirm whether talks between Washington and Moscow could resume in the near future.
The proposed Budapest summit was expected to address potential ceasefire conditions, humanitarian aid for Ukraine, and the future of U.S.-Russia relations amid escalating international criticism of the Kremlin.
Trumpโs statement underscores his increasingly cautious approach toward negotiations with Moscow, signaling that he seeks concrete progress rather than diplomatic photo opportunities.
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