Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
A hyped diplomatic meeting between Washington and Moscow has been abruptly delayed.
The United States has postponed a crucial meeting between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
The decision followed signs that Vladimir Putin remains unwilling to offer any concessions that could lead to a ceasefire.
The talks were meant to outline terms for a peace settlement before an expected summit between Donald Trump and the Russian leader in Budapest. That summit now appears increasingly unlikely.
According to CNN, sources close to the discussions said Mr. Rubio is “not likely” to advise President Trump to proceed with the meeting anytime soon.
Renewed Russian attacks
Even as diplomacy faltered, Russia launched a new wave of strikes across Ukraine. The assaults included the use of aerial bombs in Kharkiv and the deployment of the fearsome TOS-1A Solntsepek flamethrower, often called a “poor man’s nuclear weapon.”
These attacks underscored Ukraine’s warnings that Moscow had no genuine interest in peace. Washington had hoped for progress after a recent phone call between Rubio and Lavrov, which both sides described as “constructive.”
The US said the planned meeting was meant to “advance a durable resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war, in line with President Trump’s vision.”
Moscow stands firm
Russia, however, quickly signaled it would not bend. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov dismissed the postponement, saying, “You cannot postpone what was not agreed upon.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added, “The consistency of Russia’s position doesn’t change.”
Moscow continues to demand that Ukraine surrender territory in the Donetsk region and accept demilitarisation terms that heavily favor Russian control. The Kremlin has also rejected Trump’s call for a temporary pause in fighting along current frontlines.
Trump under pressure
The setback follows earlier criticism of President Trump’s handling of the conflict. Last week, he blocked Ukraine from receiving long-range Tomahawk missiles, claiming Putin was “ready for peace.” That optimism now appears misplaced.
Former US ambassador to Kyiv, Steven Pifer, told the Kyiv Post: “Clearly, President Trump got played again by Putin in the phone call on Thursday.”
He added that if Trump were serious about peace, he would pressure Moscow to “change that calculation” and make Putin see that trying to win on the battlefield “will only mean more political, economic, and military costs for Russia.”
This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, which may have used AI in the preparation
