Washington cancels Trump–Putin summit, grants Beijing trade gains

International newspapers today highlighted the declining US stance in both the Russian and Chinese arenas.

United States cancels Trump–Putin summit in Budapest due to Moscow’s insistence on its terms regarding Ukraine

The British newspaper Financial Times reported that Washington canceled the planned summit between the US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, after receiving a memo from the Russian Foreign Ministry outlining strict demands to end the war in Ukraine.

According to informed sources, the Russian memo included demands for territorial concessions from Ukraine, a reduction in the size of its army, and guarantees that it would not join NATO. After a phone call between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Rubio advised President Trump to cancel the meeting due to “a lack of any signs that Moscow is ready to negotiate.”

The decision comes after weeks of hesitation in Washington’s stance. Trump had appeared open to Putin’s proposals during their previous meeting in Alaska, but later reversed course and reimposed sanctions on Russian oil companies.

According to the newspaper, canceling the summit reflects Washington’s realization that Moscow is not prepared to make real concessions, and that the prospects for a peaceful settlement remain distant.

The art of letting Trump claim victory while China walks away stronger

A New York Times analysis noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping showed the confidence of a powerful actor during his meeting with President Donald Trump in Busan, South Korea, pushing Washington to back down.

By leveraging his country’s dominance in the rare-earth minerals market and control over US soybean imports, Xi succeeded in extracting concessions from Washington, including tariff reductions, suspension of port fees on Chinese vessels, and a delay in export restrictions that would have denied Chinese companies access to American technology.

In return, Beijing offered little, with both sides only agreeing to extend a previously established trade truce.

Analysts believe China has become more assertive in exploiting its economic leverage, while Trump seemed keen to claim a diplomatic “victory” despite the outcomes favoring Beijing.

During the meeting, Xi stressed that both sides should “look at the big picture and focus on the long-term benefits of cooperation,” warning against a “spiral of mutual retaliation” that has harmed both economies during the ongoing trade war.

In the grand chessboard of geopolitics, sometimes the boldest move is simply to smile, nod, and walk away with more than you arrived with.

A-H

ANHA