Trump Cancels Putin Summit, Imposes New Sanctions on Russian Oil Giants

Reuters

Presidents of US and Russia.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the cancellation of a planned summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, citing stalled negotiations and a lack of progress towards peace.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said the meeting, which was expected to take place in Budapest later this month, “just didn’t feel right.” He added, “Every time I speak with Vladimir, I have good conversations, and then they don’t go anywhere.”

The decision comes as the Trump administration unveiled a new round of sanctions targeting Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, in what the President described as a “major step” to pressure Moscow over its ongoing war in Ukraine.

Trump stated, “It was time to act. We’d like to see them take the line, go home, and stop this war.” He emphasised that the sanctions were designed to degrade what he called “the Kremlin’s war machine” and to push both Russia and Ukraine towards a negotiated settlement.

When asked about the future of U.S.–Russia relations, Trump said he still hopes for improved communication, expressing that he wants to see Putin “become reasonable.” The President also extended similar expectations toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, indicating Washington’s desire for “balanced diplomacy.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed disappointment over the cancellation of the planned summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, saying that both leaders preferred productive engagement over unproductive meetings.

In a press briefing in Moscow, Peskov stated, “No one wants to waste time, neither President Trump nor President Putin. These are two presidents accustomed to working efficiently and productively.”

He added that while the date for the summit had yet to be determined, careful preparation was necessary, implying that Moscow viewed Washington’s latest sanctions as counterproductive to constructive dialogue.

Sources: Reuters, The Moscow Times, The Independent, and The Guardian.



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