He wants to take things slow but keeps asking to meet

Saying you want slow while constantly initiating plans is a real signal, but it's ambiguous. Some people really do mean they don't want to jump to serious commitment but are happy to date casually and see where it goes. Others use "slow" as a soft way to keep options open without investing much. The only way to know is to ask what he thinks slow means in practice.

Pay attention to the pattern, not just the words. Is he asking to meet within a day or two of texting? Suggesting actual dates or just "hanging out"? Following up if you don't reply quickly? His actions might reveal that slow means something different to him than it does to you. He could be slow-rolling commitment but fast-rolling time together. Or he could be using the slow framing to avoid any real commitment while still getting your attention.

Your reply needs to get him to name specifics instead of hiding behind the word slow. Ask something like "When you say you want to take things slow, what does that look like?" or "What does slow mean to you?" Then listen to whether he talks about time before labels, or whether he starts qualifying the meetups themselves.

After he answers, you have one more move. Share what slow looks like for you. Don't assume it matches. Maybe you're slow on commitment but want consistency in how often you see someone. Maybe you don't want to meet anyone more than once or twice a week if there's no clear direction. The goal is to find out if you both mean the same thing, or if his slow is actually just stringing you along while yours is reasonable caution.

Give him one cycle to answer honestly and for his behavior to match his definition. That's usually one or two more conversations or meetups. If after that he's still using the word slow while acting impatient to see you, or if he defines slow but then ignores his own definition, you have your answer. He's not being slow. He's being unclear on purpose.

Don't extend this waiting period. If he says he wants slow but meets you twice in a week and then ghosts for five days, that's not slow, that's inconsistent. If he says slow means no pressure on commitment but then asks you to drop plans for him last minute, he's not treating you like someone worth planning for. Stop accepting the contradiction as normal. State what you need once, and if it doesn't shift, move on.