Washington , 22 October (H.S.): Plans for a high-stakes summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have been put on hold, a U.S. official confirmed Tuesday, after Moscow rejected a U.S.-backed call to freeze the war in Ukraine along current battle lines.

The proposed meeting in Budapest was paused following a call between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, derailing the latest diplomatic push to end the nearly four-year conflict.

The suspension comes just days after European leaders, including the heads of Britain, France, and Germany, publicly aligned with Ukraine to strongly support President Trump’s position that the fighting should stop immediately.

This unified stance backed a ceasefire based on the existing front line as a starting point for negotiations. However, Russia quickly dismissed the idea, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov insisting that serious preparation was needed for any summit and reiterating Moscow’s long-held demands.

The diplomatic back-and-forth highlights President Trump’s shifting approach to the war. After initially pressuring Ukraine to concede territory, he grew frustrated with Putin’s refusal to de-escalate.

Following a recent phone call with Putin and a subsequent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump reversed course again, calling for both sides to stop where they are.European officials have expressed relief at the summit’s postponement, fearing Putin was using diplomacy as a stalling tactic while seeking gains on the battlefield.

They remain opposed to any peace deal that forces Ukraine to cede land captured by Russia. Ukrainian and European leaders are now pushing for increased economic pressure on Russia, with further sanctions expected to be discussed at an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar