Plans for Putin-Trump Talks Shelved Days After Hungarian Capital Negotiations Proposed
There are "no plans" for US President Donald Trump to meet Russian President Putin "anytime soon", a administration representative has declared.
Recently the US president said he and the Russian president would meet in Hungary's capital in the coming fortnight to examine the Ukraine conflict.
A preparatory meeting between America's top diplomat Secretary Rubio and his opposite number Sergei Lavrov was planned for this week - but the White House stated the two had had a "productive" discussion and that a meeting was not "required".
The administration withheld additional specifics on why the talks had been postponed.
Earlier Events
The US president had discussed a Budapest summit during a call with the Russian leader, a just prior to hosting Ukrainian President President Zelensky in the White House.
Some reports indicated his meeting with the Ukrainian leader had been a "heated exchange", with those familiar indicating Trump had pushed him to give up extensive regions of eastern Ukraine as part of a agreement with Moscow.
Yet, on this week Trump embraced a truce plan supported by Kyiv and European leaders to freeze the hostilities on the current front line.
"Let it be cut the way it is," he remarked.
Russia has frequently resisted against pausing the present battle positions.
Moscow was solely focused on "permanent resolution", Lavrov commented on this week, implying that pausing conflict would merely represent a short-term truce.
Negotiating Stances
The "fundamental issues" of the hostilities needed to be addressed, Lavrov said, using Russian diplomatic language for a range of extensive requirements that include the recognition of total Russian authority over the eastern region as well as the military reduction of the country โ a non-starter for Ukraine and its European partners.
Zelensky said talks regarding the front line were the "start of negotiations" but that Moscow was "employing all tactics" to avoid diplomacy.
He further commented the exclusive issue that could cause Russia to "become engaged" was that of the delivery of extended-range arms to Ukraine.
Military Considerations
The Russian president's unscheduled call with Trump last Thursday occurred before speculation that the United States was preparing to send extended-range cruise missiles to Ukrainian forces that could possibly hit Russian territory.
The Ukrainian leader asserted it was the weapons consideration that had compelled Moscow to participate in talks. The conversation concerning the missiles had turned out to be a "strong investment" in international relations", he remarked.