Moscow Confirms Preparations for Putin–Trump Summit Still Underway

Russia confirmed on Wednesday that preparations for a presidential summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump are still in progress, despite the US president’s earlier declaration that the planned meeting had been shelved.

According to the Kremlin, work towards arranging the long-anticipated Putin–Trump summit continues, even as tensions mount over the stalled peace process in Ukraine, now nearing its fourth year.

Trump had previously expressed growing frustration with Moscow’s refusal to accept a ceasefire or compromise on its demands, which remain a major stumbling block to any negotiated settlement.

When asked about Trump’s remarks describing the meeting as potentially “wasted,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov adopted a conciliatory tone, stating:

“No one wants to waste time — neither President Trump nor President Putin.”
— Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin Spokesman

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov confirmed that logistical and diplomatic groundwork remains active.

“We are saying that preparations for a summit are continuing,”
— Sergei Ryabkov, via TASS News Agency

He declined to provide further details on dates or agenda points, suggesting that discussions remain at a sensitive stage.

The latest development follows Trump’s sudden reversal on Tuesday, when he called off the planned Budapest summit, claiming he did not want a “wasted meeting” amid continued Russian intransigence.

That announcement came less than a week after he publicly revealed his intention to meet Putin again, following a “productive” phone conversation the two leaders held earlier this month.

The Alaska summit in August — the first high-level meeting between the two since Trump’s return to office — ended without progress, exposing deep divisions over Ukraine’s sovereignty, Western sanctions, and security guarantees for Europe.

The mixed signals from Washington and Moscow illustrate the fragile state of US–Russia diplomacy, with both sides seeking to maintain leverage while publicly downplaying setbacks.

Trump’s vacillation underscores the complexities of his peace strategy, which relies heavily on personal diplomacy with Putin. Moscow, meanwhile, appears intent on signalling that dialogue channels remain open, even as it stands firm on its conditions in Ukraine.

The continuing summit preparations, therefore, reflect not a diplomatic breakthrough, but rather a mutual desire to keep negotiations alive — however uncertain their outcome may be.