German media on October 21 largely focused on the shifting prospects of a meeting between US President Trump and Russian President Putin. Early reports indicated Trump's push for a Gaza ceasefire and plans for a White House ballroom, alongside concerns about his financial gains. However, skepticism grew regarding an immediate victory in Ukraine and a potential Putin-Trump meeting. By early afternoon, reports surfaced of EU leaders supporting Trump's Ukraine plan, but doubts persisted about the summit. Later in the afternoon, Poland's refusal to allow Putin into its airspace for a Budapest meeting was reported, leading to announcements that the Trump-Putin summit was not imminent. Discussions about national defense and an alleged former ambassador's warnings of the meeting being a "trap" also gained traction.