‘It Just Didn’t Feel Right’: Trump Cancels Planned Meeting With Putin

US President Donald Trump has announced the cancellation of his planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, citing a lack of progress in diplomatic discussions.

“We cancelled the meeting with President Putin,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday, explaining, “It just didn’t feel right to me.”

“It didn’t feel like we were going to get to the place we have to get. So I cancelled it, but we’ll do it in the future,” he stated.

Trump had earlier indicated that the meeting would take place in Budapest, Hungary, following a phone call between the two leaders last week.

However, by Tuesday, he suggested the talks would be ‘a waste of time’, signalling growing frustration with the slow pace of negotiations.

“In terms of honesty, the only thing I can say is, every time I speak with Vladimir, I have good conversations, and then they don’t go anywhere. They just don’t go anywhere,” he remarked.

The cancellation coincided with Washington unveiling a new wave of sanctions on Russia. The measures target the country’s oil exports. They are part of efforts to increase pressure on Moscow over its ongoing war in Ukraine.

Trump said he hoped the sanctions would not have to remain in place for long.

For the first time in his second term, he has imposed new restrictions on Russia. The measures target its two largest oil producers, Rosneft and Lukoil. He described the move as a renewed bid to help end the conflict.

The US Treasury Department said the measures apply to the companies and their subsidiaries, warning that further steps could follow.

Speaking at the White House alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump voiced optimism that the conflict could soon reach a resolution.

“These are tremendous sanctions. These are very big against their two big oil companies. And we hope that they won’t be on for long. We hope that the war will be settled,” he noted.

Trump also reflected on his repeated talks with Putin, noting that none had yet produced real progress.

“Every time I speak with Vladimir, I have good conversations, and then they don’t go anywhere. They just don’t go anywhere. He’s fighting a war. He’s in a war. It’s two very competent sides, and that’s the way war is. You never know with war, but I would say that it’s time to make a deal,” he emphasised.

Officials said the decision to cancel the Budapest meeting followed a phone call on Monday between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Last week, Trump spoke with Putin for two and a half hours by phone and later claimed that ‘great progress’ had been made.

The following day, he welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House. He described their exchange as ‘very interesting and cordial’.

Taking to Truth Social, Trump wrote, “The meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine was very interesting, and cordial, but I told him, as I likewise strongly suggested to President Putin, that it is time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL!”

He further suggested that both sides should ‘stop where they are’ and ‘declare victory’.

Having recently mediated a ceasefire in Gaza, Trump has now turned his focus to the Russia-Ukraine war. He has intensified his diplomatic push to end the conflict.

His widely covered summit with Putin in Alaska in August, however, concluded without any agreement.

Also Read: Trump Imposes New Sanctions On Russian Oil Giants In Renewed Push To End Ukraine War