Arrangements for Putin-Trump Meeting Postponed Shortly After Budapest Talks Suggested
There are "no preparations" for US President Donald Trump to meet Russia's Putin "in the near term", a administration representative has announced.
Last Thursday Trump said he and the Kremlin leader would hold talks in Hungary's capital in the coming fortnight to address the Ukraine conflict.
A planning session between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his opposite number Foreign Minister Lavrov was scheduled to occur this week - but the administration clarified the two had had a "positive" call and that a meeting was not "required".
The administration withheld any more details on the reason the negotiations had been postponed.
Earlier Events
The US president had discussed a Hungarian meeting during a call with Putin, a just prior to hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House.
Various sources claimed his meeting with Zelensky had been a "heated exchange", with those familiar indicating the president had pressured him to cede extensive regions of eastern Ukraine as part of a deal with Russia.
However, on Monday Trump supported a ceasefire proposal supported by Kyiv and European leaders to halt the conflict on the present positions.
"Leave it as is in its current state," he remarked.
Moscow has frequently resisted against pausing the current line of contact.
Moscow was solely focused on "enduring stability", Russia's foreign minister said on Tuesday, indicating that halting hostilities would merely represent a brief pause.
Negotiating Stances
The "fundamental issues" of the war required resolution, Lavrov said, using Russian diplomatic language for a set of extensive requirements that include the acceptance of complete Moscow control over the eastern region as well as the military reduction of Ukraine – a impossible condition for Ukraine and its EU supporters.
Zelensky said talks regarding the front line were the "commencement of dialogue" but that Russia was "employing all tactics" to prevent dialogue.
He also said the exclusive issue that could cause Russia to "become engaged" was that of the delivery of distance-capable munitions to Ukraine.
Strategic Factors
Putin's spontaneous discussion with the US leader recently preceded speculation that the US was planning to provide extended-range cruise missiles to Ukraine that could theoretically target deep into Russia.
Zelensky stated it was the weapons consideration that had pressured the Kremlin to engage in discussion. The conversation concerning the weapons systems had proven to be a "significant input" in diplomacy", he commented.