Kyiv flatly contradicted the narrative, with the Ukrainian President underscoring his support for diplomatic negotiations and asserting his readiness to participate in a prospective Trump-Putin summit.
As talks of a potential meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin emerged, Kremlin-backed propaganda immediately sought to deflect blame for the stalled peace process, with state media claiming Ukraine was actively «hindering the holding of an historical meeting.»
Citing statements made by the «head of the Kyiv regime» to NBC News, Russian state media charged that Volodymyr Zelensky was already attempting to «thwart» the «historical meeting» between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Budapest, even though a date for the summit had yet to be finalized.
The disinformation surfaced amid preparations for a prospective summit between President Trump and dictator Putin in Budapest. According to Trump, he and the Russian leader agreed during an October 16, 2025, phone call—initiated by the Kremlin—to meet in the Hungarian capital to discuss an end to Russia’s aggression. This call notably occurred just one day before the Ukrainian President was due to begin his visit to the United States.
In Washington, a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Trump took place on the night of October 18, 2025. Following their talks, Zelensky reaffirmed his position to NBC News, stating he remained prepared to engage in negotiations and hold a personal meeting with Putin.
«We discussed this [with Donald Trump]—what they would discuss with Putin—and he wanted my input,» Zelensky stated. «I think that if we want long-lasting peace, we need both sides of this tragedy. He is the occupier, and Ukraine is suffering but defending itself, so what kind of negotiations can be had without us, but about us? We must share our vision because I am not sure that Putin is ready to just take it and end the war—he wants to return with aggression. I am ready, as I told President Trump, I am ready,» the Ukrainian leader emphasized.
This assertion by the Ukrainian President was immediately seized upon by Kremlin-backed media and falsely characterized as «Zelensky’s desire to thwart negotiations,» despite the fact that the President stressed the complete opposite: his readiness for direct contact with the Russian dictator.
Nevertheless, on the night of October 23, 2025, President Trump announced the cancellation of the planned meeting with Putin, citing a lack of diplomatic progress. The move followed massive Russian aerial strikes on Ukrainian civilians and Moscow’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire. Trump left the door open, adding that the summit «might still happen in the future.»
«We canceled the meeting with President Putin. It just felt like it was the wrong thing to do. It felt like we weren’t going to get to the place we needed to get to,» Trump explained. «Every time I talk to Vladimir [Putin], I have good conversations, but then they don’t lead anywhere.»
Simultaneously, the American President stressed that the U.S. had activated additional pressure points against Russia, imposing sanctions on major oil firms, including Rosneft and Lukoil, and their subsidiaries. Donald Trump voiced his hope that the imposition of these significant penalties would make Putin become more reasonable.
Ultimately, it was Russia that appeared to sabotage the high-level negotiations between the White House and the Kremlin, with the Russian army continuing its terror against Ukraine’s civilian population despite global efforts to end the conflict. In stark contrast, the Ukrainian side repeatedly signaled its readiness for a leader-level meeting, effectively supporting Donald Trump’s push for peace talks.
Further analysis and refutations of similar narratives by StopFake journalists can be found in the report, Fake: Ukraine and EU Undermine US and Russian Peace Efforts.
