🔗 Share this article

Currently exist "no plans" for US President Donald Trump to meet Russian President Putin "in the near term", a White House official has announced.

Last Thursday Trump indicated he and the Russian president would hold talks in Hungary's capital in the coming fortnight to address the war in Ukraine.

A planning session between America's top diplomat Marco Rubio and his opposite number Sergei Lavrov was scheduled to occur recently - but the administration clarified the two had had a "productive" call and that a meeting was no longer "needed".

The White House did not share further information on why the talks had been put on hold.

Background Context

The US president had discussed a Hungarian meeting over the phone with the Russian leader, a just prior to meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House.

Various sources indicated his talks with Zelensky had been a "contentious discussion", with sources claiming the president had pushed him to relinquish large areas of eastern Ukraine as part of a deal with Russia.

Yet, on Monday the American president endorsed a peace initiative endorsed by Kyiv and European leaders to halt the war on the present positions.

"Let it be cut the way it is," he said.

Russia has frequently resisted against freezing the present battle positions.

Moscow was exclusively seeking "long-term, sustainable peace", Lavrov commented on Tuesday, implying that freezing the front line would merely represent a temporary ceasefire.

Negotiating Stances

The "fundamental issues" of the conflict needed to be addressed, the Russian diplomat stated, using Kremlin shorthand for a series of maximalist demands that encompass the recognition of complete Moscow control over the Donbas as well as the military reduction of the country – a impossible condition for Ukraine and its European partners.

The Ukrainian president commented conversations concerning the front line were the "commencement of dialogue" but that Russia was "taking all measures" to evade negotiations.

He also said the only topic that could make Moscow "take notice" was that of the supply of extended-range arms to the Ukrainian military.

Weapons Discussions

The Russian president's spontaneous discussion with the US leader last Thursday came ahead of rumors that the US was preparing to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukrainian forces that could theoretically target Russian territory.

The Ukrainian leader said it was the weapons consideration that had compelled Moscow to participate in talks. The talk about the missiles had proven to be a "strong investment" in negotiations", he commented.