Arrangements for Putin-Trump Talks Delayed Days Following Hungarian Capital Negotiations Announced
Currently exist "no preparations" for US President President Trump to meet Russian President Putin "in the immediate future", a administration representative has announced.
This past week Trump said he and the Kremlin leader would hold talks in Budapest in the coming fortnight to discuss the war in Ukraine.
A planning session between US Secretary of State Secretary Rubio and his opposite number Foreign Minister Lavrov was scheduled to occur this week - but the administration stated the two had had a "productive" discussion and that a meeting was not "necessary".
The White House did not share any more details on why the talks had been put on hold.
Previous Developments
The US president had discussed a Budapest summit over the phone with the Russian leader, a just prior to meeting Ukrainian President President Zelensky in the White House.
Certain accounts indicated his meeting with Zelensky had been a "shouting match", with sources suggesting the president had pressured him to relinquish extensive regions of Ukraine's east as part of a settlement with Moscow.
However, on this week Trump supported a ceasefire proposal endorsed by Ukraine and European leaders to freeze the war on the present positions.
"Freeze the lines where it stands," he stated.
Russia has repeatedly pushed back against freezing the present battle positions.
Moscow was only interested in "permanent resolution", Lavrov said on this week, implying that freezing the front line would merely represent a brief pause.
Diplomatic Positions
The "root causes" of the conflict needed to be addressed, the Russian diplomat said, using Moscow's terminology for a set of extensive requirements that involve the recognition of complete Moscow control over the eastern region as well as the demilitarisation of the country – a impossible condition for Kyiv and its Western allies.
The Ukrainian president stated discussions about the front line were the "commencement of dialogue" but that Russia was "doing everything" to avoid diplomacy.
He additionally stated the exclusive issue that could cause Russia to "take notice" was that of the supply of extended-range arms to the Ukrainian military.
Strategic Factors
Putin's unplanned conversation with the US leader last Thursday came ahead of reports that the US was preparing to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukrainian forces that could theoretically target deep into Russia.
The Ukrainian leader stated it was the Tomahawks issue that had compelled Moscow to participate in talks. The conversation concerning the weapons systems had proven to be a "valuable contribution" in negotiations", he added.