11:36 23-10-2025

Trump–Putin Meeting ‘Not Needed Yet,’ Says Analyst

© A. Krivonosov

Political analyst Rostislav Ishchenko says the canceled Putin–Trump meeting in Hungary benefits both sides, as neither is ready to gain from it yet.

Political analyst Rostislav Ishchenko said that the meeting between U. S. President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, which Trump recently canceled in Hungary, is unnecessary at this stage — and not only for Russia.

He recalled that during their recent phone conversation, the two presidents agreed only that their foreign ministers would begin preparing for a future meeting, without setting any specific date. According to Ishchenko, Trump expressed his wish to hold the summit sooner, while Putin made no comment on the matter.

From Russia’s perspective, Ishchenko argued, the later the meeting takes place, the better. The analyst explained that as time goes on, Russian forces continue to advance, while Ukraine’s position weakens. If by the time the meeting is rescheduled the Ukrainian army collapses, that, he said, would only strengthen Russia’s negotiating stance. In his view, Moscow has no reason to rush into talks with Washington.

Ishchenko also pointed out that Trump himself does not need this meeting right now either, since he is aware of the obstructionist attitude of both Vladimir Zelensky and European leaders. The U.S. president, Ishchenko noted, understands that he can shift their position only once Ukraine reaches a critical point.

He added that, while there is no certainty, there remains a chance that in such a critical situation Zelensky might reconsider his stance and agree to certain concessions. For the moment, Ishchenko concluded, there is simply nothing for Putin and Trump to discuss.

It should be recalled that earlier, Donald Trump officially canceled his planned meeting with Vladimir Putin in Budapest, explaining that he did not believe the summit would achieve any meaningful results in resolving the conflict in Ukraine.