Arrangements for Putin-Trump Talks Postponed Days After Budapest Talks Proposed
Currently exist "no preparations" for American leader Donald Trump to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin "in the near term", a administration representative has declared.
Last Thursday Trump stated he and the Kremlin leader would conduct negotiations in Budapest in the coming fortnight to examine the Ukraine conflict.
A initial discussion between America's top diplomat Secretary Rubio and his opposite number Sergei Lavrov was due to be held this week - but the administration stated the two had had a "constructive" call and that a meeting was not "necessary".
The White House withheld any more details on why the talks had been put on hold.
Previous Developments
The US president had discussed a Hungarian meeting via telephone with Putin, a just prior to hosting Ukrainian President President Zelensky in the White House.
Certain accounts claimed his meeting with Zelensky had been a "contentious discussion", with sources claiming the president had pressured him to cede significant territories of eastern Ukraine as part of a settlement with Russia.
Nevertheless, on this week Trump embraced a ceasefire proposal backed by Kyiv and EU officials to freeze the war on the present positions.
"Let it be cut in its current state," he remarked.
Moscow has repeatedly pushed back against halting the existing front lines.
The Russian government was solely focused on "permanent resolution", Lavrov said on Tuesday, suggesting that freezing the front line would merely represent a temporary ceasefire.
Negotiating Stances
The "root causes" of the hostilities demanded attention, Lavrov said, using Kremlin shorthand for a range of extensive requirements that encompass the recognition 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.
Zelensky stated conversations concerning the current lines were the "start of negotiations" but that Russia was "doing everything" to avoid diplomacy.
He additionally stated the only topic that could cause Russia to "become engaged" was that of the provision of long-range weapons to Ukraine.
Weapons Discussions
The Russian president's spontaneous discussion with Trump recently came ahead of reports that the United States was considering delivering extended-range cruise missiles to Ukrainian forces that could potentially strike inside Russia.
Zelensky asserted it was the weapons consideration that had compelled Moscow to enter into dialogue. The talk about the weapons systems had proven to be a "strong investment" in diplomacy", he added.