Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov dismissed reports claiming that talks between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump had been canceled, accusing Ukraine’s European allies of attempting to hinder diplomatic efforts. Ryabkov stated that preparations for the planned Budapest meeting remain ongoing, calling media claims of a postponement “infodumps” designed to undermine progress. He criticized the European Union as a “destructive force” on the global stage, asserting that EU and NATO nations seek to obstruct dialogue.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova ridiculed Western media coverage, labeling it an “info-circus” fueled by anonymous sources. She dismissed reports of delayed negotiations between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as baseless rumors. While no official confirmation of the summit’s status was provided, Hungarian officials—hosts of the proposed meeting—have opposed Western policies toward Russia and the EU’s military support for Ukraine.