US President Donald Trump on Saturday played down prospects of a summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin anytime soon, even as a top Kremlin negotiator huddled for talks with US officials on ending the war in Ukraine.

“I’m going to have to know that we’re going to make a deal. I’m not going to be wasting my time,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he headed to Asia, days after plans for a summit with Putin in Budapest collapsed.

“I’ve always had a great relationship with Vladimir Putin, but this has been very disappointing,” Trump said. “I thought this would have gotten done before peace in the Middle East.”

The president’s comments came as Kremlin negotiator Kirill Dmitriev met with Trump administration officials Friday and Saturday, a Russian source familiar with the talk

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