Preparations for Trump-Putin Talks Postponed Shortly After Hungarian Capital Talks Suggested
There are "no arrangements" for US President Donald Trump to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin "anytime soon", a administration representative has stated.
Last Thursday Trump indicated he and the Kremlin leader would meet in Hungary's capital in the coming fortnight to address the war in Ukraine.
A initial discussion between America's top diplomat Secretary Rubio and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov was planned for recently - but the administration clarified the two had had a "positive" conversation and that a face-to-face session was not "required".
The White House withheld additional specifics on the reason the negotiations had been put on hold.
Background Context
Trump had discussed a Budapest summit over the phone with the Russian leader, a day before meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House.
Various sources claimed his talks with the Ukrainian leader had been a "heated exchange", with sources indicating the president had urged him to relinquish extensive regions of Ukraine's east as part of a agreement with Moscow.
Nevertheless, on Monday the American president supported a ceasefire proposal endorsed by Kyiv and EU officials to pause the war on the existing battle lines.
"Leave it as is in its current state," he said.
Russia has frequently resisted against halting the present battle positions.
The Russian government was solely focused on "permanent resolution", Russia's foreign minister stated on Tuesday, indicating that halting hostilities would only amount to a brief pause.
Diplomatic Positions
The "root causes" of the conflict required resolution, Lavrov said, using Moscow's terminology for a set of comprehensive conditions that encompass the acceptance 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 said conversations concerning the current lines were the "commencement of dialogue" but that Russia was "employing all tactics" to prevent dialogue.
He additionally stated the only topic that could make Moscow "pay attention" was that of the supply of extended-range arms to Ukraine.
Strategic Factors
Putin's spontaneous discussion with Trump last Thursday occurred before reports that the United States was preparing to send extended-range cruise missiles to Ukraine that could potentially strike Russian territory.
Zelensky stated it was the Tomahawks issue that had pressured the Kremlin to engage in discussion. The talk about the weapons systems had emerged as a "strong investment" in negotiations", he remarked.