Trump’s Push for Second Putin Summit Faces Roadblock as Pre-Meeting Talks Stall
WASHINGTON – Hopes for a swift second summit between former President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin appear to be facing a delay, as preparatory talks led by Senator marco Rubio have, for now, failed to yield sufficient progress toward a resolution in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. A planned meeting next week is unlikely to move forward, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The setback comes as Trump publicly advocates for a rapid end to the war, suggesting a settlement based on current battlefield positions. The stalled pre-summit discussions highlight the significant challenges in bridging the gap between the U.S. and Russian positions, despite both sides expressing a desire for dialog. this potential delay underscores the complexities of navigating the Ukraine conflict and the difficulties in securing a “durable resolution,” as envisioned by trump.
According to a U.S. State Department readout, Senator Rubio emphasized the importance of upcoming engagements as an opportunity for Moscow and Washington to collaborate on advancing a resolution, “in line with President trump’s vision,” during a recent call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The Kremlin characterized the call as “constructive,” noting discussion of “possible concrete steps to implement the understandings” reached during a previous Trump-Putin phone call.
However, officials following the Rubio-Lavrov conversation have indicated that russia’s position remains largely unchanged. The source familiar with the matter stated that Rubio is currently not likely to recommend the Putin-Trump meeting proceed as scheduled next week, though further discussions between Rubio and Lavrov are possible this week.
This growth arrives more than two months after trump and putin held an in-person summit in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025.That nearly three-hour meeting concluded without a formal agreement,though both leaders publicly claimed progress had been made.
Since that meeting, Trump has repeatedly called for Kyiv and Moscow to “stop the war promptly,” recently stating, “You go by the battle line, wherever it is. Otherwise, it’s too complicated. You’ll never be able to figure it out. You stop at the battle line,” to reporters on Saturday.
