Trump Cancels Putin Talks Pending Ukraine Deal Progress

President Donald Trump has stated he will not meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin unless there is a clear prospect of reaching a deal to end the war in Ukraine, emphasizing he will not waste his time without such assurance. Trump expressed disappointment with the stalled peace efforts, noting he had hoped the conflict would have been resolved before the recent Middle East peace deal. His administration recently imposed new sanctions on Russia’s largest oil companies, signaling frustration with Putin's unwillingness to end the conflict and indicating plans for further economic measures targeting critical sectors. Trump highlighted ongoing tensions between Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky, underscoring the deep animosity hindering negotiations. He also referenced other peace efforts he claims to have facilitated, such as between Armenia and Azerbaijan, while praising Qatar’s role in regional stability and peacekeeping. The U.S. is also considering using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine's defense, aligning with European counterparts to bolster Kyiv’s war effort.