U.S. President Donald Trump has postponed his planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, saying he does not want it to be a waste of time.
The decision followed a phone conversation between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during which Moscow reiterated its opposition to an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine.
President Trump’s move marks another shift in his uncertain approach to resolving the war, as European leaders expressed relief over the delay.
They have criticized President Putin for using diplomacy to stall while advancing militarily and rejected President Trump’s suggestion that Ukraine should cede captured territories for peace.
The U.S. president said further decisions on the proposed meeting would be made in the coming days.