Arrangements for Trump-Putin Talks Delayed Shortly After Budapest Negotiations Suggested
There are "no plans" for US President Donald Trump to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin "in the near term", a White House official has announced.
This past week the US president said he and the Russian president would conduct negotiations in Budapest within two weeks to discuss the war in Ukraine.
A planning session between America's top diplomat Secretary Rubio and his opposite number Foreign Minister Lavrov was scheduled to occur recently - but the White House said the two had had a "constructive" call and that a meeting was no longer "necessary".
The administration did not share any more details on why the talks had been put on hold.
Earlier Events
The US president had discussed a Hungarian meeting via telephone with the Russian leader, a day before hosting Ukraine's President Zelensky in the White House.
Various sources suggested his talks with the Ukrainian leader had been a "heated exchange", with those familiar indicating Trump had pressured him to give up extensive regions of Ukraine's east as part of a deal with Russia.
Yet, on Monday the American president supported a ceasefire proposal supported by Kyiv and EU officials to halt the hostilities on the existing battle lines.
"Let it be cut the way it is," he said.
Moscow has repeatedly pushed back against pausing the current line of contact.
The Russian government was solely focused on "enduring stability", Russia's foreign minister stated on this week, indicating that halting hostilities would simply constitute a brief pause.
Diplomatic Positions
The "underlying reasons" of the conflict demanded attention, Lavrov emphasized, using Russian diplomatic language for a range of extensive requirements that involve the recognition of total Russian authority over the Donbas as well as the disarmament of Ukraine – a impossible condition for Ukraine and its EU supporters.
Zelensky said discussions about the front line were the "beginning of diplomacy" but that Moscow was "doing everything" to evade negotiations.
He further commented the exclusive issue that could make Moscow "take notice" was that of the provision of distance-capable munitions to the Ukrainian military.
Weapons Discussions
The Russian president's spontaneous discussion with Trump last Thursday came ahead of reports that the US was considering delivering extended-range cruise missiles to Ukrainian forces that could theoretically target Russian territory.
Zelensky asserted it was the weapons consideration that had pressured the Kremlin to participate in talks. The discussion regarding the missiles had proven to be a "valuable contribution" in international relations", he remarked.