Western media publish fakes about the meeting between Putin and Trump: what they say in the Kremlin and the Foreign Ministry

Amid a growing stream of Western publications about the alleged cancellation or postponement of the summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and American leader Donald Trump, officials in Moscow and Washington urge not to believe fakes. Representatives of both sides clarified that the negotiation process is ongoing, and a final decision on the meeting will be made and announced later. Meanwhile, the Western media continues to publish contradictory reports. All the details are in the Izvestia article.

Western media speculation

The information field surrounding the alleged meeting between Putin and Trump has become an arena for controversial publications. The Reuters news agency reported that Moscow allegedly sent Washington a diplomatic note with conditions for resolving the conflict in Ukraine, including control over the territory of Donbass and Kiev's refusal to deploy NATO troops.

At the same time, The Telegraph, NBC and Axios announced a pause or cancellation of the summit after a conversation between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. According to sources in the White House, the parties are not ready for high-level negotiations. It is noteworthy that some headlines speak of a "freeze in negotiations," while others speak of a "breakthrough in dialogue."

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Also on October 21, CNN announced that the meeting between Rubio and Lavrov had allegedly been postponed. It was noted that the reasons for the postponement of the meeting are not known. According to a TV channel source, Lavrov and Rubio have different opinions on the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine.

Official statements

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Russia and the United States had not exchanged informal documents on Ukraine, stressing that "the abundance of rumors in the Western media does not help matters." According to him, there are no obstacles to the meeting of the leaders of the two countries, however, no specific agreements have been reached yet.

The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, also urged not to succumb to provocations, noting that the Western media are competing in fakes — "who can be more creative." She stressed that the ministry will definitely provide specifics as soon as confirmed information becomes available.

Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and special representative of the President of Russia for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries, noted that preparations for the summit are continuing, and rumors about the postponement of negotiations are a distortion of the real situation.

Lavrov told reporters that he was surprised to receive information in the American media that the Russian–US summit in Budapest could be postponed. In his opinion, the "uncleanness" of many media outlets in the West is "well known." The minister added that CNN is not inclined to serious analytical work, but to "simple slogans" that are "thrown" at the recipient of information.

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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, commenting on the possible postponement of the summit, said that there is an understanding between Putin and Trump, but it is impossible to postpone what has not been fixed. According to him, the exact dates were not initially determined.

Trump, in turn, said that the decision to meet with his Russian counterpart in Budapest has not yet been made. In addition, the American leader stressed that in two days he would inform about "what will happen next" regarding the Budapest summit. He clarified that he still sees a chance for a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Hungary, the European Union and the context around the summit

Budapest is still being considered a venue for a meeting between Putin and Trump. The Hungarian authorities emphasize that they are fully prepared to ensure the safety of both leaders. Zoltan Koshkovich, an analyst at the Hungarian Center for Fundamental Rights, noted that "the Hungarian services are well trained, they will be assisted by American and Russian specialists."

In addition, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that many fake statements about the cancellation of the meeting should be expected before Putin and Trump in Budapest. According to him, such things happen almost before every meeting of the European Council and before decisions on sanctions or the European Peace Fund.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico also expressed the opinion that the European Union (EU) should "do everything possible" for the summit to be successful. According to him, "if the EU really wants a quick peace in Ukraine, which I do not believe in, it should do everything possible to ensure that the meeting between Trump and Putin takes place in Budapest without obstacles and as soon as possible."

Will the negotiations continue

Despite the torrent of speculation, Moscow and Washington are not rejecting the possibility of a summit. Ryabkov and Dmitriev emphasize that the dialogue has not been interrupted, and Lavrov continues contacts with the American side. Hungary has already assured of its readiness to receive the leaders and ensure the maximum level of security.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.