Arrangements for Putin-Trump Meeting Shelved Days Following Budapest Talks Suggested
Currently exist "no arrangements" for US President Donald Trump to confer with Russian President Putin "in the immediate future", a White House official has stated.
Recently the US president said he and the Kremlin leader would conduct negotiations in Budapest in the coming fortnight to examine the Ukraine conflict.
A preparatory meeting between America's top diplomat Marco Rubio and his opposite number Foreign Minister Lavrov was planned for this week - but the White House clarified the two had had a "productive" call and that a meeting was not "necessary".
The administration did not share any more details on why the talks had been postponed.
Background Context
The US president had discussed a Hungarian meeting during a call with the Russian leader, a just prior to hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office.
Some reports indicated his meeting with Zelensky had been a "heated exchange", with sources claiming Trump had pressured him to give up extensive regions of Ukraine's east as part of a settlement with Russia.
However, on this week the American president embraced a ceasefire proposal backed by Kyiv and European leaders to halt the conflict on the existing battle lines.
"Let it be cut the way it is," he remarked.
Moscow has frequently resisted against freezing the present battle positions.
Moscow was only interested in "permanent resolution", Lavrov said on this week, implying that halting hostilities would merely represent a temporary ceasefire.
Political Perspectives
The "underlying reasons" of the war needed to be addressed, the Russian diplomat said, using Russian diplomatic language for a series of extensive requirements that include the acceptance of total Russian authority over the eastern region as well as the military reduction of Ukraine – a impossible condition for Ukraine and its Western allies.
Zelensky stated talks regarding the front line were the "commencement of dialogue" but that Russia was "taking all measures" to prevent dialogue.
He also said the exclusive issue that could cause Russia to "pay attention" was that of the delivery of long-range weapons to the Ukrainian military.
Military Considerations
Putin's unscheduled call with the US leader last Thursday preceded speculation that the US was planning to provide extended-range cruise missiles to Ukraine that could theoretically target inside Russia.
The Ukrainian leader said it was the missile discussion that had forced Russia to engage in discussion. The talk about the missiles had proven to be a "significant input" in diplomacy", he remarked.