Trump-Putin meeting in Budapest cancelled after Washington gets Moscow memo on....

The planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has been called off after Moscow presented a formal list of demands that US officials described as ‘maximalist’ in nature, according to reports from Reuters, citing the Financial Times. The summit, originally set for next month in Budapest, was meant to be part of renewed diplomatic efforts aimed at easing tensions between Washington and Moscow. However, US officials decided to cancel the event after reviewing Russia's conditions, which reportedly included major concessions on sanctions and recognition of Russia's territorial claims.

As of now, the White House has not released an official statement regarding the cancellation. There had already been some skepticism surrounding the meeting after an unnamed US official stated earlier this week that there were 'no plans' for a Trump-Putin meeting "in the immediate future."

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Recently, Trump admitted to feeling ‘frustrated’ with Putin, signaling a shift from his earlier remarks that his “personal chemistry” with the Russian leader could quickly bring an end to the war if he returned to the White House. Furthermore, Trump acknowledged last week that a high-level summit with Putin is unlikely in the near future, despite a senior Kremlin representative meeting with US officials in Florida to discuss potential solutions to the war in Ukraine. Trump added that he didn’t want to "waste his time" on such talks.

The US president has spent months trying to mediate a peace agreement between the two countries, but progress has remained out of reach. Calling for an immediate end to the fighting, he suggested that Moscow should retain the areas it currently controls. Speaking to reporters in Florida earlier this month, Trump proposed that the front lines serve as the dividing boundary, arguing that “it’s too complicated” otherwise. He said both armies should halt operations, return home, and put an end to the bloodshed. Trump also acknowledged the possibility that Russian President Vladimir Putin could be manipulating him during his efforts to negotiate a settlement between Russia and Ukraine.